Hidden Weeds Flower
by Mrs O-Town
Summary: AU. Brooke Davis is forced to live with her Godparents – Dan and Karen Scott – and their spoiled son, Lucas. With Lucas resenting Brooke’s presence in his house, can Brooke manage to get through the tough months that follow? COMPLETE.
1. Welcome To The Fallout

**Title: **Hidden Weeds Flower  
**Author: **Tejal (mrsotown)  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Spoilers:** None really. It's AU but there are elements of Season 1 and 2 in it.  
**Summary: **AU. Brooke Davis is forced to live with her Godparents – Dan and Karen Scott – and their spoilt son, Lucas. With Lucas resenting Brooke's presence in his house, will Brooke manage to get through the tough two years that follow?  
**Author's Notes: **Yup, it's another OTH fic by me. I think I'm obsessed. The title comes from a line from a Philip Larkin poem I'm studying in school ('Here'). The scene in _italics _are flashbacks. And the song at the beginning is 'Stacy's Mom' by Fountains of Wayne. Don't ask….

* * *

**Chapter One: Welcome To The Fallout **

_Stacy's mom has got it going on… _

Brooke Davis sang along to the song blasting out of her radio. She was surprisingly upbeat considering the circumstance she was in. Sixteen years old and she was on her own.

Well, technically anyway.

Her parents, who'd never really been there for her, had been temporarily put away. Her father was in jail for fraud and her mother had been checked into a rehab centre for her drink and drug problem.

_About time,_ Brooke thought to herself. Although she was a little sad to leave her parents, she knew that in the long run it would be better for them all. Her father had promised that when he got out, things would be better – but like all his other promises, Brooke had learned not to keep her hopes up.

That's how she ended up here. Far from her comfortable lifestyle in New York, her parents' problems had forced her to leave the home she loved and make her way to North Carolina. Tree Hill to be exact.

Her social worker had told her that since she had neither parent to look after her, she'd have to be taken care of. Brooke had assumed that meant a nanny or something, but instead she'd been given an address.

_"It's all been arranged, Miss Davis" the social worker told her, "They're expecting you this week," _

_"Who?" _

_"Your godparents. Your parents do not want you alone in __New York City__ so they got in touch with them and they agreed to look after you until you graduate," _

_"Sorry, but I can live by myself. I've been doing so for a while," Brooke handed the paper back to the woman in front of her. _

_"It's not legal to have a sixteen year old living by herself," she explained, "And you can plead for emancipation but I assure you the judge will tell you that this is the best option." _

_"I've never heard of these people. Dan and Karen Scott. How can they be my godparents?" _

_"It's on your birth certificate. I've checked them out and they seem nice. They are very well off, have two sons – one of which has moved out – and are excited to see you," the social worker saw the apprehension etched on the young girl's face, "Give it a shot, at least. It's either that or you end up in a children's home," _

_Brooke sighed and looked at the address again, "I'll give it a shot. But if they end up being murderers or perverts, I'm out of there." _

Brooke's heart raced as she passed the sign that told her she was in Tree Hill. It was certainly different from New York City. Much more… green and less traffic.

Pretty soon, she found the place her godparents lived in. When the social worker had told her they were well off, she hadn't been joking. The house was huge, the driveway had at least four cars and there was a basketball court that dominated part of the yard.

Brooke had grown up with luxuries but even she had to admit this was pretty impressive.

She turned her baby blue VW Beetle into the drive and stopped the car, unsure what to do next. All she'd been told was to go to their house, she had no idea what they looked like or what they were like and now she was a little scared.

Brooke sat in her car, wondering whether it was too late to turn back and tell her social worker they harvested the brains of young children. However, she was disturbed when somebody threw a basketball at the back of her head. She whipped around to see a guy standing behind her car.

"Hey!" she cried as she got out of the car, "Do you mind?"

"Nope," came the reply. He looked the car over, "You running somewhere?"

"It's none of your business. Who are you?" she asked.

"None of your business," he repeated. She groaned, hoping that guys weren't like him.

"Well, then do you mind leaving?" he didn't reply, "Am I talking to myself here? Back off," she told him.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I have some mace in my purse and I'm not afraid to use it. I'm sure you'd hate to ruin those pretty, blue eyes of yours," she told him. He grinned.

"You think my eyes are pretty?" Brooke rolled her eyes, "So, you moving here or what?" he motioned to the big house in front of them.

"Yeah, you from around here?" the guy nodded, "Can you tell me what they're like?"

"Dan and Karen Scott? Yeah. He's the devil and she drinks like a fish. Not to mention their sons are pretty bad too. One of them is in jail and the other… well, the other is just a bastard," he smirked.

"Ha ha!" Brooke said, "I should have known I wouldn't get a straight answer from you," she sighed as she made her way back to the front of her car, "So who are you anyway" she asked.

"Me? I'm nobody you need to know,"

"You know the mysterious stranger thing is getting kind of old." Brooke said having had enough of his ambiguous answers.

"My name is Joe."

"Joe?" Brooke repeated looking at him up and down, "You don't look like a Joe,"

"You shouldn't judge somebody just on their appearance. Didn't your mother ever teach you that?" he asked her.

"Whatever," she told him, "I'm going in,"

She turned away from him just in time to see the front door open and a brunette woman come out.

"Brooke? Is that you, sweetheart?" Brooke nodded as the woman approached her, giving Brooke a big hug, "Look at how you've grown," she said admiring the young woman in front of her. "Last time I saw you, you were only a little baby."

Brooke smiled only half-sincerely. She was still unsure about this move and nervous about living with people she couldn't even remember.

"Well, let's get you inside," the woman told her, "I see you met my eldest son, Lucas." Before Brooke could reply, the older woman turned to the guy behind Brooke, "Lucas, help bring Brooke's suitcases into the house and then do some homework,"

Brooke shot a look at Lucas, who grinned like a Cheshire cat and gave her a wink as she was dragged inside by the woman.

* * *

Brooke nursed her almost cold cup of tea as she listened to Karen talk about her parents. The living room was huge and had a big family portrait of the family above the fireplace. She looked at it intently.

"That was taken almost a year ago," she explained, "Before Nathan got married,"

"Married?" Brooke repeated, she knew Lucas was the older son and he was almost two years older than she was. Nathan was supposed to be the one her age.

"Yes, he wanted to marry his girlfriend and so got himself emancipated to do so," Karen explained, clearly hurt by her younger son's actions.

"Oh," Brooke said unsure of how to approach the subject. She thought it was sweet personally but it had obviously hurt his family.

"Dan wants us to get a new one done… without Nathan," Karen cleared her throat, "How about I show you to your room?" she suggested. Brooke nodded and followed Karen around the house.

They stopped at a bedroom near the far end of the hall. Karen opened the door and Brooke looked around. The room had been furnished almost for her. It was in girlie colours, had a huge walk-in wardrobe, her own computer, TV, DVD player and all sorts of things she would have had in her own house.

"When we heard you were coming, Dan and I hired an interior decorator to do up the room for you. He managed to do it in three days. But if you don't like anything, we can always change it,"

"Oh, Karen, it's beautiful. I hope you didn't go to any trouble," Brooke gasped.

"Well, Dan and I have always wanted a daughter and so we thought that since you were going to live we us, we may as well treat you as if you were our daughter." Karen explained.

Brooke smiled, "Thank you," she said sincerely.

"No problem. Dan will be home for the dealership in an hour or two, just before dinner. Do you mind if I leave you alone for a little bit? I need to go get dinner ready, and it'll give you a chance to unpack and make yourself at home," Karen said leaving Brooke to her own devices.

When Karen was out of earshot, Brooke squealed to herself. Maybe this was going to be a pleasant experience after all.

She opened up the walk-in wardrobe and screamed when a figure jumped out at her.

Lucas laughed as he saw the expression on her face.

"Man, I knew that it was a good idea to hide there," he said as Brooke just glowered at him.

"Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'coming out of the closet'. Want to tell me something?" she retorted, still recovering from the shock. He ignored her comment as he looked around the room.

"Wow, this is sweet. My parents went all out for you,"

"I didn't ask them too," Brooke told him.

"Whatever. They like to take care of strays. Although this is the first time they've let one into the house,"

"I'm not a stray," she told him, offended by his remark. He shrugged.

"Well, you're not part of the family, but you live in the family home. I sure hope you don't expect preferential treatment just because of it," he sat on her bed.

"Look, I didn't choose to come here. I was forced to so the least we can do is to get along or keep out of each other's way, right?" she suggested. He nodded.

"Okay. I choose the latter," he headed for the door, "By the way; I'll see you around, neighbor," he said as she watched him disappear out of the door. She followed his movement and her jaw widened as she saw where he'd gone.

His room was directly opposite hers.

He shot her a look from his doorway before slamming it. She shut her own door and rolled her eyes.

This was most definitely going to be interesting.

**To Be Continued… **


	2. We Might As Well Be Strangers

**Thank you all for the _amazing_ feedback I received. I hope you like this chapter!**

**Chapter Two: We Might As Well Be Strangers**

Brooke watched the waves lap around her feet as she moved them gently back and forth in the pool. Living in a New York penthouse most of her life, she hadn't been privileged enough to spend time in her own private pool. There had been one on the roof of the expensive apartment complex she'd resided in, but she had never been brave enough to risk it. Sure there were hotel pools, and the ones at the spas, but she'd never had one in her own back yard before.

She frowned as she realised that she'd need to buy a new swimsuit, since she'd last used hers almost six months ago when she'd joined her parents on one of their numerous trips. Brooke wondered if there were any good swimwear stores in North Carolina. She'd passed the mall on the way here but she knew she'd need at least a few days to familiarise herself with the area.

Or a really good tour guide.

Her mind glanced to Lucas but she rolled her eyes at the thought of him giving her a tour. Either he'd ditch her in the middle of nowhere, or she'd end up killing his childish ass.

Brooke couldn't believe a guy who was almost 18 could be so immature. _It's because he's spoilt_, she told herself, _used to having everything and anything_. She shook her head as she remembered their first meeting and what he had described the family as.

'_He's the devil and she drinks like a fish. Not to mention their sons are pretty bad too. One of them is in jail and the other… well, the other is just a bastard.'_

Yeah, that pretty much summed Lucas up. A bastard.

Brooke sighed, realizing that she'd only based her assumptions on one or two encounters with him, and she'd learnt the hard way that appearances can be deceiving back in New York. She resisted the urge to want to jump into the cool water in front of her. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, only opening them when she heard footsteps approaching her.

"Brooke, honey?" Karen said when she saw the young woman, "Dan just pulled up in the drive. Dinner will be served shortly," Brooke nodded and reluctantly pulled her feet out of the water, giving them a quick dry with the towel she'd brought out with her.

Slipping into her shoes, Brooke automatically made herself more presentable and smoothed down her clothing.

She walked back into the house, making her way to the living room, where she could hear muffled yelling. She paused outside in the hallway and listened to what the voices were saying.

"Lucas, there is no way in hell you are going out tonight."

"It's just a party, dad!"

"You have practice early in the morning and God knows you need all the practice you can get!"

"I've been working my ass off all week. I deserve a break."

"You don't deserve jack, Lucas and you know it. Do I need to remind you about last night's game? You missed three easy shots and not to mention-"

"Whatever, Dad," she heard Lucas finally give in, "I'll stay if it makes you happy," she could hear Lucas' footsteps retreating towards the hallway.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she heard Dan shout after him.

"To my room."

"Dinner is almost ready. Your mother cooked us a nice meal and you damn well are going to eat it _with_ the family."

"I'm not hungry."

"I don't care. This is Brooke's first day here and we're going to eat together. I want no arguments or the PlayStation is the first thing to go, followed by your cellphone," Dan threatened. Brooke heard Lucas grunt with annoyance and come back to the living room.

Brooke waited a good half a minute before entering the living room so that she didn't give the impression that she'd been listening in.

When she did enter, Dan looked up from his newpaper and grinned widely.

"Brooke! How nice to see you," he said as he rose from his armchair and gave Brooke a hug. Brooke glanced in Lucas' direction, where he was sitting sullenly on the couch with his arms crossed.

"Hi, Dan," she greeted, a little uncomfortable with the hug but pleased that he seemed to accept her presence. "Thank you for letting me stay," she told him sincerely.

"No problem, we have plenty of room. Plus, it's nice to have a girl in the house to keep Karen company. You know, I remember how thrilled your parents were when you were born. The last time I saw you was… oh, when you were two years old," Dan reminisced. Brooke smiled, "So, what are you up to these days?"

"Uh… high school, I guess," she said, being reminded that she needed to sort out her enrollment at Tree Hill High.

"Say no more, I enrolled you at Tree Hill High two days ago. You start on Monday," he told her.

"Oh, thank you," Brooke said.

"Do you do any kind of sporting activities?" Dan asked. Brooke could see Lucas roll his eyes out of the corner of her eyes.

"Not really, besides cheerleading."

"Cheerleading is a sport. How often do you practice?"

"Um, whenever I can." She said a little unnerved by his line of questioning.

"Tree Hill High have a great cheerleading squad. Did you ever win any championships in New York?"

"One or two," Brooke told him. Dan smiled.

"Excellent. I'm sure you'll lead our team to victory too."

"Well, we'll see," she told him just as Karen told them dinner was ready.

Brooke sat opposite Lucas on the very big dining table. The food was lovely and Brooke made sure she complimented Karen on her excellent job.

"Thank you, Brooke. Do you cook?" Karen questioned. Brooke nodded.

"Yeah, I learnt to anyway," she replied with a hint of embarrassment.

"That is great. Most teenagers now rely on other people to cook their food. I'm glad you took the initiative to learn at such a young age. I just wish Lucas could take a leaf out of your book," Dan said, casting a glance at his oldest son.

Lucas put down his fork, "I won't need to, Dad," he said, a smile playing on his lips and Dan looked at him questioningly, "I'll just get myself a wife like Nate did."

Brooke watched as Dan looked at his son angrily and Karen looked away, hurryingly busying herself with taking more potatoes.

"Watch your mouth, son," Dan said, trying to keep his voice from reaching a yelling level. Broke gulped and looked down at her food, catching Lucas' stare.

"Anyone want more potatoes?" Karen offered, breaking the tense silence that fell over them.

* * *

The next morning Brooke woke up quite early. She had no idea what the usual routine was for the Scott family, so she lay in bed for a good hour or so until she heard noises and voices. From her window, she saw Dan leaving for work in his car, followed closely by Karen leaving for her café ten minutes later. 

Brooke then decided it may be safe for her to venture around the house further. After quickly grabbing a shower and changing into fresh clothes, Brooke left the safety of her room and decided to go down for breakfast.

When she went into the kitchen, she caught sight of a dark haired figure raiding the fridge. Her eyes widened as she quickly ducked behind the door and wondered what she was going to do.

Eyeing the nearest weapon she could find – a frying pan – and cautiously making her way towards him, Brooke tried to fight her nerves as she inched closer and closer to him.

"Hey!" she managed to say, grabbing his attention. He turned around and had no time to react as he saw the frying pan collide with his head.

"OW!" he yelled in pain as he hit the floor. Brooke was still holding the frying pan in defense as she looked at the person she'd just attacked.

"Nathan?" she questioned recognizing the features from the huge family photo in the living room, "Is that you?"

"Yeah… who are you?" he asked. Brooke helped him up, rendering it safe to put the frying pan down.

"What the hell-" Lucas said as he came into the kitchen in just his towel, fresh from his shower. He surveyed the scene, "Brooke, what happened?" he looked at the frying pan and then at Brooke, "You didn't just…?"

"Yeah," she blushed, "I hit him with the frying pan," she said motioning to Nathan.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Lucas yelled.

"Calm down, man." Nathan told his older brother. Both ignored him.

"I thought he was a thief. I only saw the back of his head!" she defended herself. Lucas gave her a look.

"Well you could have at least asked who he was first!" Lucas shot back.

"I'm sorry, but in New York we just don't ask intruders who they are before attacking them. It's called 'the element of surprise'. Look it up!" Brooke yelled back, getting more irritated by Lucas by the second.

"Surprise, surprise, you're not in New York anymore. Plus, he's not an thief, he's my brother."

"How was I supposed to know that from the back of his frickin' head?" Brooke questioned.

"Time out, guys!" Nathan yelled getting in between the two of them, "In case you haven't forgotten, I was just hit in the back of the head with a very heavy frying pan. Would it be too much to ask for a little sympathy and maybe a little ice before you two go at it?"

The two looked at each other and mumbled apologies. Brooke got some ice for Nathan's head and gave it to him. Sitting at the breakfast bar, the three sat together, drinking coffee.

"So, you're Brooke?" Brooke nodded, "I heard you were coming. How do you like Tree Hill so far?"

Brooke shrugged, "It is okay, I guess. I mean I haven't had the chance to really explore but the mall seems good. Although I don't really know anybody or anything here…"

"I should hook you up with Haley – that's my wife – she'll be more than happy to show you around," Nathan offered.

"Would that be okay?" Nathan nodded, "Then that'd be great!" Brooke grinned.

"So," Lucas said changing the subject, "Are we going to play some hoops or what?" he asked his younger brother.

"Sure… you want to get dressed first?" he asked glancing at his brother's current attire.

"Yeah, I was just going to do that now," Lucas said getting up, he looked at Brooke, "This time, ask before you go around attacking my brother," he told her coldly.

Brooke sighed as Lucas left the kitchen.

"Don't worry about him," Nathan reassured, "He doesn't mean anything by it."

"Has he always been this… childish?" Brooke asked, "It's like he hates me."

"That's just Lucas. He's got a lot riding on him. He's one of the best basketball players in the town and, since I left the family, my dad's been piling on the pressure a lot lately."

"How long have you and Haley been married?" Brooke asked, interested in the subject since she didn't know too many teenagers who married while in high school.

"A few months. It's still new but I'm getting used to it," Nathan informed her, smiling at the thought of his wife, "You're going to love Haley. She's awesome."

"You really love her, don't you?" Brooke observed while Nathan nodded, "That's sweet."

"How about you? Any boyfriends? Fiancés? Secret husbands?" Nathan questioned. Brooke laughed.

"No way. I've sworn off men."

"Oh, so you're…" Nathan began awkwardly.

"No! No," Brooke said quickly, "I had a very bad break-up not too long ago. Going to be a while before I trust guys again – tell me, are you all such swine?"

"Not the ones that marry their girlfriends," Nathan said. They laughed, only for it to be broken by Lucas' appearance.

"Nate," he said simply looking between the two. Nathan scribbled down a number on a nearby pad or paper and gave it to Brooke.

"This is Haley's number. Just call, tell her who you are, she'll be down here in ten minutes. Just make sure you get some good walking shoes because she shops until she drops," Nathan told Brooke. Brooke thanked him and watched the two brothers go out onto the court in the backyard, before dialing the number.

* * *

"So, Brooke's hot," Nathan said to Lucas as they set up for their game. Lucas shot Nathan a look. "What?" 

"You're married." Lucas stated.

"So? I was just making an observation. And you don't have to be so mean to her."

"Why not?" Lucas asked as he threw a practice shot, "She's invaded my house."

"Luke, don't be like that. She seems nice and you really don't need to make her life harder. I mean, aren't her parents in jail slash rehab? Isn't she more or less orphaned?" Nathan reminded Lucas, who didn't reply, "I mean, she moved from New York City to be _here_. It's not easy for her. Plus, she knows nobody. She's never really met mom or dad and now she has to live with them." Nathan continued.

"I guess you're right. Guess what Dad asked her yesterday," Lucas said.

"Something about sports?" Lucas nodded, "What did she say?"

"She said she's a cheerleader," Lucas smirked.

"Nice," Nathan said seeing his brother's expression, "Especially for you."

"Why me?"

"Because we all know you have a thing for cheerleaders," Nathan told him, "And I can bet you any money that you'll have slept with her… oh, within three weeks."

"Ha, you're funny. Anyway, she's not like other girls. She's got some bite."

"I bet she has,"

"No, I mean, she's tougher. She takes no crap. She threatened to mace me when we first met, and every time I make a comment – she has something to reply," Lucas said.

"Ah, a woman who doesn't go weak at the knees every time you even look at her. That's a rare find," Nathan said as he took a shot.

"Tell me about it," Lucas said casting a glance to the kitchen window where he could see Brooke talking on the phone with Haley, "But I don't think anything will happen between us."

"Why not?" Nathan questioned.

"I don't know. I just have a feeling. Plus, she thinks I hate her."

"You don't hate her?"

"Not really. I still wish she wasn't living in the house. Have you seen her room? It's like they planned for her to come stay here." Lucas said.

"Well, Mom and Dad always said they wanted a daughter," Nathan said.

"Yeah, well. Forget her. Let's play some ball," Lucas said changing the subject and throwing Nathan the ball.

* * *

Brooke watched the two brothers play basketball. There was no question that they were both at the top of their game. She wasn't that interested in basketball, but the way they played made her mesmerized. Lucas especially was brilliant at the sport and seemed to know every single move Nathan was about to make. 

She sighed, wishing that Lucas was a little nicer. She already liked Nathan and was pleased that he was civil to her, although she was a little sad that he had to be the one who had moved out.

Her thoughts were shaken by the sound of the doorbell ringing. She opened the door to find a brunette standing there with a grin on her face.

"Haley, right?" Brooke questioned. The girl nodded in reply, "Come on in."

**To Be Continued…**


	3. Wander The Great Indoors

**Chapter Three: Wander The Great Indoors**

Brooke and Haley dropped down on the couch. After three hours of non-stop shopping, even someone such as Brooke was exhausted. She closed her eyes and sighed contently at the weight lifted from her legs.

"I don't think I've ever done that much shopping," she told Haley.

"Neither have I. You could give me a run for my money."

"Well, I've never met anyone like you. You really know your bargains." Brooke was clearly impressed.

"It comes from years and years of spending time at the thrift store." Haley told her new friend, "We make a pretty good team."

"We should do this again sometime," Brooke suggested brightly. Haley laughed.

"Yeah, maybe when I can feel my feet again. Maybe I'll bribe Nathan into giving me a foot massage…" she mused aloud.

"Ah, if I had such luxuries," Brooke muttered, "Where are they anyway?" she asked as she glanced around the house.

"Oh, they'll still be playing a game outside. Those two are so competitive, it's ridiculous. Basketball, PlayStation, tequila shots… once they even had a competition on who could fit more pieces of popcorn in their mouth." Haley rolled her eyes.

"So who won?" Broke asked. Haley thought for a moment.

"I actually have no idea," she giggled, "I think they gave up or something."

"They seem to get on really well," the brunette commented and Haley nodded.

"That they do. Probably the only person Lucas gets on with."

"Ah, so it's not just me," Brooke looked relieved, "I was thinking that maybe he hated me for coming into his home."

Haley bit her lip. "Honestly? He probably does hate you - but just learn to ignore him and his remarks. He likes attention. He's a complete attention whore."

Brooke snorted, "Yeah, I can believe that." Haley sighed.

"Do you want a drink?" Brooke nodded and Haley sighed again, "Can you be bothered to get up?" Brooke shook her head, "Ok, so that's the drinks out of the window."

Brooke managed to reach for the remote control and started absent mindedly flicking the channels, finally resting on a fashion programme. The two new friends were so invested in the new tips for this season's colors; they didn't hear Lucas and Nathan come inside from the yard.

Nathan took the opportunity to creep up behind his wife and drop a kiss on her forehead. She jerked up, startled, but the relaxed the moment she realized who it was.

"Hey, baby," she said softly, "You scared me."

"Sorry," Nathan apologized to his wife. "Did you have a nice time shopping?" Haley nodded motioning to the pile of bags in the corner and Nathan narrowed his eyes. "Okay, how much did you spend?"

Haley shrugged sheepishly, "I sort of got carried away…" she began. Nathan sighed.

"Haley, c'mon, you know how tight things are," he said trying to keep his tone down. Brooke looked away guiltily, realizing that some of it was her fault as she'd convinced Haley to buy many of the items in the shopping bags.

She cast a wary glance at Lucas who pulled out $200 from his wallet and handed it to Nathan. Nathan looked down at the notes in his hand.

"What are you doing, man?" he questioned, handing the money back to his elder brother.

"This should cover all the stuff in those bags, and then some," Lucas explained putting the notes back in his younger brother's hand.

"I don't want your money, Lucas."

"Take it." Lucas told him.

"We'll totally pay you back," Haley assured Lucas, who shook his head.

"It's a gift."

"A gift for what?" Nathan was still unconvinced.

"Your birthday," Lucas replied.

"That was four months ago." his brother reminded him.

"Fine, Haley's birthday."

"That's-" Nathan began.

"Just take it, Nate," Lucas repeated. "Consider it your payment for beating me in basketball today."

"We never play fo-" Nathan started before realizing he'd probably never win this argument. He stopped in midsentence and accepted the money, "Thank you," he said.

Lucas just nodded, "Mom and Dad will be home for lunch in twenty minutes. I suggest you get out of here before they catch you," he informed his brother and his sister-in-law. They nodded.

Haley hugged Brooke goodbye and Brooke said goodbye to Nathan and watched the two drive off. Once they were gone, Lucas shut the door and made his way into the living room. Brooke followed him in and watched for a moment as he turned the channel from E! to ESPN. He could feel her eyes on him and he sighed in exasperation.

"What?" he asked not even turning around.

"That was nice… what you did for Nathan and Haley," she said taking a seat on the couch opposite to him.

"So? Just because my dad cut him off, doesn't mean I have to. Nathan is working two jobs as well as trying to concentrate on school to pay the bills. Whereas I have all this money I'm never going to use. I mean, how many clothes does one guy need?"

"You don't agree with what your dad did?" Brooke questioned. Lucas shook his head.

"I can understand how annoyed dad was when Nathan married Haley and stopped playing basketball. Dad wants both of us to go pro, but since Nathan quit the team, he doesn't want anything to do with him. Although for some reason, he just loves riling him up and trying to get him to come home without Haley," Lucas said, tired of his father's tricks.

"You like Haley, don't you?" Brooke asked. Lucas nodded.

"She's like my little sister. When she was a freshman, she used to follow me around all the time but then she fell for Nathan and I ended up being best man at their wedding. Although, I don't tell my parents that." Lucas sighed looking back at Brooke. "So, have fun with Haley?"

Brooke nodded, "Yeah. The mall was fun. I like Tree Hill so far."

"Wait until you see the school," Lucas commented before realizing that Brooke was getting rather too comfortable in his company than before. "Anyway, I'm going to take a shower. Don't break anything," he told her coldly as he got up and left.

Brooke groaned. Just when she thought she was making progress with Lucas, he seemed to turn it around. But like Haley had said, it wasn't just her who got on Lucas' bad side.

* * *

Brooke wasn't naturally a timid, quiet person but Tree Hill High was a big school for such a small town. She found herself intimidated by the other students, especially since everyone seemed to be gossiping about the new girl. With the help of Haley earlier, she'd been able to locate her locker and sort out her schedule and even make it to Algebra on time. But since Haley had gone to the Tutoring Hall, Broke was alone and had been thrown to the wolves. 

She had decided to spend lunch trying out for the cheerleading team,and, almost immediately, she'd been attacked by three of them.

"Oh my god, are you Brooke Davis?" one of the girls asked and before Brooke even had time to reply, another girl was asking a question.

"Is it true you're living with Lucas Scott, because he is so fine!"

"Shut up, Miranda, you only like him because he winked at you one time. So, have you seen him naked yet?"

Brooke was speechless and had no idea where to start with the questions, or if she even wanted to answer the following twenty that followed.

Fortunately, she was saved by a mess of blonde curls that came to her defense and started shooing all the girls away.

"Give her room, c'mon, girls. Move it!" she almost barked in her attempt to free Brooke. Once the girls had dispersed, Brooke could finally breathe.

"Thanks." Brooke said gratefully to the girl in front of her.

"No problem. You're the new girl, right?"

"Yeah. Brooke Davis." The blonde girl thrust out her hand to shake it.

"Peyton Sawyer. I hear you live with the infamous Lucas Scott and his family."

"Yeah, that would be right," Brooke nodded.

"Good luck with that."

"Thanks. So, what is Lucas Scott like in school? He's kind of an-"

"Ass? Yeah, that'd be about right. He thinks that just because he's Dan Scott's son and the school's star basketball player he can get away with murder. Truth is, he probably could." Peyton told her.

"You know him well?"

"Well, not really. Most of the girls know him anyway, different girl every night, never a phone call the morning after." Peyton said.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Brooke said sympathetically. Peyton looked at her.

"How did you know?" she asked suspiciously.

"You sound kind of bitter."

"About Lucas Scott? Please! I'm happier with Jake. He's also on the team but fortunately, he has morals and actual feelings. Although that whole Lucas thing happened ages ago. I'm over it. It's funny how you can be crushing on somebody for so long, and once it happens, you find out who they really are." Peyton informed Brooke matter-of-factly. Brooke looked Peyton over.

"So, you look different," Brooke commented.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you've got that grungy, rock/punk thing going on. Most other people haven't," Brooke commented on Peyton's outfit. She looked comfortable and Brooke was pleased that she wasn't trying to be fake like the others.

"I dare to be different. Where about are you from?"

"New York, hence the whole fashion radar. Got to say, I'm loving the look. Not my personal style, but you rock it."

"Thanks. Word of advice? If you want to keep that pretty little head of yours, you stick with me. The cheerleaders will have you actually seeing your IQ level drop and I know you are not the quiet type. What's your GPA?"

"3.6."

"Not bad. You're definitely not a total geek but not dumb enough to be an airhead. You'd definitely fit in with me," Peyton told her.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Trying out for the cheer squad?" Brooke nodded, "Well, I'll help you get the routines down. I have a feeling that you'll make it into the team in no time,"

Brooke frowned, "You're a cheerleader? You so don't look like you'd go for that."

"Well, I thought the only way to get my guy away from these girls was to be as close to him as possible. Also, it gives me something to do," Peyton told her. Brooke smiled.

"Well, P. Sawyer," she said, "I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

_I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. I had a rough idea of where I wanted to go, it was just trying to place it in the actual story. _

_I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. Your comments mean so much to me and I hope you continue to show your support. _

_I also have to mention that, unless I work really hard, this will be the last update for about a week or so. I'm going to Greece on Wednesday and I need to pack and stuff. It's only a 5 day trip but it's a really intense trip as I'm in a new place every day. _

_Hopefully, I'll be able to write the chapters up while I'm on the plane/coach rides/free time so you won't have to wait much longer. _

_I apologize for this but it's a really important trip as I need to see as many temples/sculptures/pots as I can before my exams in June. _

_Please continue supporting this story as you have so wonderfully before and I'll see you all in a week!_

_Tejal x_


	4. Bright Lights, Late Nights

**Chapter Four: Bright Lights, Late Nights**

Brooke ran her fingers through her long brown hair as she tried to make sense of what she was writing. Her eyes had started to feel heavy and her neck was aching from staring at the computer screen for so long. She tried her best to massage her shoulders in an attempt to make herself feel better and more awake but it was no good.

Brooke groaned as she checked her word count. She was still at a measly six hundred words out of a minimum of 1500 and it was almost eleven in the evening. She rested her head on her pillow, regretting starting her essay after dinner. Brooke was a huge procrastinator and she easily found distractions in anything.

So far she'd painted her toe nails, given herself a manicure, alphabetized her CD collection, updated her iPod twice and sorted her wardrobe out in colors. Glancing at the clock and seeing it reach 10.58, she sat back up, determined to write more and get it done by midnight.

Almost twenty minutes later, Brooke had written an additional thirty words and had abandoned it to play a game of FreeCell.

She groaned again when she realized it was getting late and that she'd never finish the essay on time. She'd have to make another excuse, ask for an extension and kiss some major ass if she was going to avoid a detention.

Brooke contemplated on calling Haley for help, seeing as she had the smarts, but then realized Haley may be asleep. She glanced quickly at the time and then at her essay before picking up the phone.

It picked up after five rings.

"What?" an irritated voice answered.

"Nathan? Is that you?" Brooke questioned, "Why do you sound weird?"

"Because I was asleep?"

"What kind of people are asleep at 11.20?" Brooke questioned. Nathan groaned.

"The tired kind. What do you want, Brooke?"

"Haley, actually."

"She's asleep… wait, no she isn't. I'll hand it over to you." Brooke heard some muffled speech and movement over the phone before she heard a tired voice.

"Brooke?"

"Haley! How much do you love me?"

"Not much considering you woke me up. What's up?" Haley asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"You know that essay we had to do for English? Well, I need help."

"Which essay?" Haley asked.

"The one of Jane Austen. The social and moral responsibilities in _'Emma' _and stuff."

"What about it?" Haley yawned on the other end.

"I'm stuck on the essay. I have no idea what to write and you're smarter than I am and you know the books and I really have no clue where I'm supposed to be going with this." Brooke babbled on the phone, she could hear Haley groan as her voice got louder and more desperate.

"Okay, Brooke. First of all, lower your voice and take a deep breath," Brooke did so, "Brooke, I'm really sorry but I handed that essay in two days ago and I have no clue what I wrote."

"Don't you have a copy on your computer that you can send and I can use? Please, Tutor Girl, I'm desperate here," Brooke pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Brooke, but I handwrote it. Just… I don't know. Make it up?" Haley suggested, letting out another yawn. Brooke sighed.

"Okay, I'll see. Thanks, Haley." Brooke said defeated. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"No problem. It's Nathan who'll probably be annoyed at you. He likes his beauty sleep…ow!" Haley groaned, "He heard that. I'd better go. Good luck,"

"Thanks," Brooke hung up the phone and sighed, turning to the computer to have another stab at it.

* * *

Brooke wanted to kill things. More specifically Jane Austen. She wasn't even up to 800 words yet and she'd already run out of things to say.

She was dangerously close to tossing her laptop out of the window when she heard someone come into her room. Irritated with her essay and tired, Brooke shot him a dirty look.

"What do you want?" she snapped. Lucas chuckled and sat down on her bed.

"I saw your light on. Whatcha doing?" he asked picking up her copy of '_Emma'._

"None of your business," she said, snatching the book away from him and trying to shoo him away.

"Somebody is grouchy. You writing an essay on Austen?" Lucas flipped through the pages of the book.

"Yeah and it's kicking my ass, so would you mind leaving me alone?" Brooke questioned trying not to let him get to her.

Instead of listening to her request, Lucas grabbed hold of her laptop and read what Brooke had been writing.

"You have some good points, but you're veering off the actual focus of the question." Lucas said, lying down on her bed as he gave back the laptop.

Brooke stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

Lucas sat up, grabbing a nearby pen and paper and handing it to her, "Look at it this way. Write down all the characters in ranking order of wealth and status,"

Brooke looked skeptical but did so. She showed it to him. Lucas nodded, "Now write down all the characters in ranking order of _morals_,"

"I don't get it."

Lucas took the pen and paper off Brooke and wrote down his list, showing it to her and explaining what he'd done.

"Look at this – with the exception of Mr Knightley, those who are higher in status, are the meanest. Take the Eltons for example, they are quite rich but they're the ones who you hate in the novel. Even Emma."

"I think I get it. You're trying to say that whatever social status you hold doesn't necessarily mean that you have the highest morals,"

"Yup,"

Brooke looked at Lucas and cocked her head to the side, "How do you know so much about Austen?"

He shrugged, "I read. Why, does that surprise you?" he questioned. Brooke sheepishly nodded.

"Kind of. I guess I never thought of you as the type to pick up a book – especially with all the basketball you have going on," Lucas shrugged.

"Despite what my dad might say, basketball isn't everything. You know, I actually never was into the whole basketball thing as much as Nate was but since he quit, I guess I just felt like I had to carry on the dream for both my dad and Nathan."

"That doesn't seem fair," Brooke stated.

"What is fair?" he questioned, a small smile playing on his lips. Brooke returned the smile and Lucas quickly looked away, "Look, you okay with this essay now?"

Brooke nodded, "Yeah. Thanks,"

"Whatever. Just make sure you shut the light before you go to bed," he said coolly as he got up off her bed and walked out of the door.

Brooke sighed. Just as she felt they were making progress, Lucas would suddenly put up a barrier and they'd move two steps back – leaving her feeling confused and hurt.

Shaking herself out of those thoughts, she looked over the piece of paper Lucas had written on and began to write. Within forty-five minutes, her essay was finished and she could finally relax.

The funny thing was, the person she wanted to thank for helping her was currently unapproachable.

* * *

"Hey dude," Peyton Sawyer said as she sat down next to Brooke and Haley at lunch. The three had quickly become inseparable in the few weeks Brooke had first arrived. Peyton and Haley had quite a bit in common and they all loved to hang out together – even though Brooke repeated complained about their tastes in music.

Brooke found that she was able to talk to Haley a lot about her problems with Lucas and, even though Peyton didn't particularly like Lucas, she gave advice, thanks to her links with Jake.

"Hey yourself. What's that big grin for?" Brooke asked referring to the huge smile on Peyton's face.

"I just heard there is a killer party this Friday night at Tric. Wanna go?" she asked.

"Sure. Nothing else to do except tip-toe around Lucas all day," Brooke said taking a gulp from her soda.

"What about you, James?" Peyton asked Haley.

"I don't know yet. I'll ask if Nathan wants to come but don't count on it. Friday nights are usually spent with Tim on his PlayStation 2. One of these days I'm going to throw that thing out."

"Okay, Tutor Wife, we love you but you can do something without that husband of yours. Anyway, if he's so busy with his stupid PlayStation, we can have a girl's night out. At least you'll be out of the house,"

"Well, someone needs to clean up the mess they make," Haley told them.

"Just do what I do. Use sex as a weapon. Tell Nathan that if he wants some, he can clean up the house every once in a while. It'll work wonders!" Brooke winked.

"Says the girl who hasn't hooked up with anyone since she got here. How long as it been… three, maybe four weeks since you came to Tree Hill?" Peyton laughed. Brooke threw a French fry at her.

"I could totally hook up with a guy if I wanted to,"

"Well why don't you? I know plenty of guys that are into you."

"I don't know. I just think I need some time by myself at the moment. Plus, dating is so hard; I just can't be bothered to put in the effort. At least not yet." Brooke sighed.

Haley and Peyton nodded, "Well, when you're ready. Just give me a yell and I'll hook you up with a couple of guys," Brooke laughed at Peyton's proposal.

"Yeah, that'll happen. I know your type P. Sawyer and they'll probably like to wear chains, and have long hair and stuff,"

"That is so stereotypical!" Peyton cried, throwing a French fry at Brooke, who shrieked loudly.

* * *

Lucas watched the girls laugh from the distance. He was genuinely pleased Brooke had managed to make friends so quickly, and even happier that she was friends with Haley. Haley was a smart girl but had kind of been a bit of a loner before she met Nathan. And although Lucas liked her, sometimes he could do without having her around all the time when he wanted to spend time with his brother. This way, Brooke and Haley could go do their girl things while Lucas and Nathan did whatever brothers did – especially now that Nathan was somewhat banned from the household.

"Hey, stop staring at my wife!" Nathan snapped playfully, knocking Lucas out of his thoughts.

"I wasn't staring at her," Lucas told his younger brother. Nathan looked over to the area where his wife was sitting.

"Maybe you were interested in her company," he nodded his head towards Peyton and Brooke, "Let me guess, you don't particularly like blondes so…"

Lucas scoffed, "Please!"

"How is that going, by the way?"

"Well, she's still there. Nothing I can do about it is there?" Lucas shot back.

"You could try getting along," Nathan suggested.

"Why?"

Nathan shook his head, knowing that his brother was stubborn and probably wouldn't listen to her anyway.

"Okay, we'll get off the subject. You going to this party on Friday night?"

"I can't. Practice early Saturday morning," Lucas replied.

"I thought that didn't start until 11."

"Have you already forgotten the fact Dad likes to make us get up at 6am for a 'daily, leisurely jog'?" Lucas asked. Nathan nodded.

"Oh yeah, definitely don't miss those." Nathan commented, "He's not running you too hard, is he?"

Lucas shook his head, "Nothing I can't handle, little brother."

* * *

Lucas walked into the house, knowing full well his parents were still at work. He strolled into the kitchen and pulled out a beer from his well hidden stash and opened it.

Taking a quick swig from the bottle, he walked around the house, heading for his room. Noticing faint music playing from Brooke's room, he paused outside momentarily to see what she was up to.

There she was, standing by her closet in jeans and a black bra. He raised his eyebrows in approval before walking in.

She was too engrossed in her clothes and music to notice him at first but when she turned around, she jumped and covered her modesty with a nearby blouse.

"Don't you knock?" she exclaimed, thoroughly annoyed with him.

"My house." Lucas challenged.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked feeling uncomfortable.

"Admiring the view," he smirked as he took another swig of his beer, "Do you usually walk around the house half-naked, or am I just special?" he asked.

"I thought I was alone and, anyway, I was trying some clothes on – not that it's any of your business."

Lucas shrugged and sat down on her bed, lying down on top of it and staring at the ceiling.

"Why are you still here?" Brooke asked.

"Because I want to be. Don't mind me. I'm sure I can give you my approval on whatever outfit you're wearing," he said absent mindedly flicking through a nearby magazine.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Fine. Just don't touch anything," she told him as she turned from him and quickly put on any top.

She could feel his eyes on her and – although she was mad at him – she was strangely flattered. However, her anger quickly took over when she realized he wasn't going to leave anytime soon.

"I'm going out," she declared, hoping that he'd soon get bored and go away.

"Fine by me," he said, not looking up from the magazine.

"Perv!" Brooke scoffed as she walked past him and out of her room.

She returned three quarters of an hour later, hoping that he'd left her room. Instead, she found him still lying down on her bed and engrossed in a book.

"Is that my diary?" she shrieked as she realized just what he was reading. She pulled it away from him and hit him with it, "You do not read my diary!"

Lucas blocked her hits with her pillow and got up, moving quickly away from her.

"Whatever," he said as coolly as he could, "It wasn't that interesting anyway," he told her as he walked casually out of the room.

Brooke grunted in frustration – both at the insult and the invasion of privacy. Disgusted with his behavior, she looked around her room, making sure nothing else had been read, taken or misplaced.

Sitting down on her bed, she tossed his empty bottle of beer in the wastebasket and wondered just how much of her diary he'd read.

Sometimes she couldn't stand that guy.

**To Be Continued…**

**Author's Note:**

Thank you all for the continued support you have shown in this fic. I just have to say how awed I am at the response and apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out.

Greece was fantastic and I'm planning to hopefully go there again sometime soon – although it'll probably be an R&R trip rather than a study one. I'm sick of spending hours on a coach or climbing mountains.

Anyway, just thank you all and I hope you'll continue to show your support for the coming chapters.

Tejal x


	5. Rules To Break

**Chapter 5: Rules To Break**

There it was again.

Deep, heart-wrenching sobs followed by loud sniffs.

Lucas turned down his TV as he listened to it. He frowned, wondering where it was coming from.

Lucas got up off his comfortable position on the couch and ventured down the hall to track down the source of whatever was interrupting his precious TV time.

And he found it coming from the room opposite his. He stood outside the door momentarily, wondering if he should disturb her.

If she was upset, she could yell at him to leave her alone or worse yet, want a shoulder to cry on.

Lucas wasn't sure if he wanted to go there quite yet.

When he heard another loud wail, he reluctantly entered the room – without knocking- and looked at the scene in front of him.

Instead of the curled up heap he was expecting to see, she was sitting at the end of her bed and staring at the TV screen. Tears were running freely down her face and she was taking big breaths to try and control her sobs.

The closing music began to play and Lucas decided it was time for him to make his presence known.

"What was all the noise?" he questioned in typical Lucas Scott style. Brooke turned around and ejected the tape from her VCR as she hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Sorry," she apologized, embarrassed to be seen in the state she was in, "I kinda got carried away." Brooke sniffed.

"What were you watching?" Lucas asked, genuinely interested. Brooke noted his interest and took the opportunity to try and build bridges with him.

"Oh, it's a show about a group of people abandoned on an island after their plane crashes."

Lucas nodded, about to open his mouth until she stopped him.

"And then there's this crazy, giant polar bear chasing them," she added before she realized she'd gone too far.

"Okay…" Lucas shook his head, "So does it always make you burst into tears?"

Brooke let out a small laugh before her eyes filled up with tears again.

"They killed off my favorite character," she said as she began to softly cry again. Lucas raised an eyebrow, letting out a low-whistle. _'Girls'_ he thought to himself.

"Haley taped last night's episode for me since I had practice. It's really good, you should… check it out sometime," Brooke suggested.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lucas dismissed the suggestion. Brooke moved towards her closet.

"So, are you coming to this party tonight?" Brooke questioned.

"What, and hang around with my brother's friends all night? No thanks," he scoffed.

"Okay, well, I kind of need a favor," she said, hating to ask him. Lucas looked at her, "My car is out of gas and I need a ride to the party."

He smirked, "You want me to give you a ride?" he asked. She nodded, "What about that blonde girl you hang around with? The one with the curls,"

"Peyton? She's getting a ride with Jake. Come on, Lucas! Please?" she pleaded, "I'll never ask for anything again," she promised, hoping that he'd cave.

Lucas rolled his eyes and sighed, "Fine. But you better get your own ride back because I am not your chauffeur," he said.

"Thank you, you are a lifesaver. I'll be ready in about 25 minutes so just relax and I'll be right out," she said, pleased he'd agreed to drop her off.

Lucas looked at his watch, "25 minutes otherwise my offer is withdrawn, okay?" Brooke nodded in understanding as he left her to get ready.

* * *

"So son, what are your plans for this evening?" Dan Scott asked his son as he settled down on the armchair opposite his son. Lucas was flicking through the music channels and merely looked at his out of the corner of his eye.

"Nothing much. Read a book for English and drop Brooke off at the party," Lucas told him, checking the clock on the mantelpiece. She had almost five minutes left.

"What party?" Dan questioned.

"I don't know. Someone in her grade is throwing it and she needs a ride."

"Will Nathan be there?" Dan asked. Lucas hesitated before answering. He knew that his father didn't want Lucas talking to his brother, seeing as the whole household was supposed to have disowned him. But Lucas also liked nothing better than to rile his father up, bitter about his brother being thrown out of the house.

"Yeah, he is. And he's going to be with Haley too. They're such a great couple, don't you think." Lucas smiled inwardly as Dan fumed.

"That better be a joke, son," he said through gritted teeth. Lucas didn't reply and silently rejoiced when Brooke came out of her room, ready for the party.

"Ready to drop me off?" she asked, "Hi, Dan." She said to her god-father.

"Brooke, I hear you're going to a party."

"Uh, yeah. That's right," Brooke said casting a glance at Lucas.

"Well, why don't I drop you off?" Dan suggested.

"You really don't have to do that, Dan," she told him, "Lucas already offered."

Lucas got off the couch, ready to take Brooke to the party.

"Lucas is busy with school work. Not to mention that tomorrow he's got to wake up early for his 4am run." Dan interrupted. Lucas glared at Dan and Brooke felt uncomfortable.

"I wouldn't want to put you out of your way," she said. Dan shook his head.

"Nonsense. I'd be glad to," he said with a big smile. Brooke could do nothing but offer a small smile back and follow Dan out of the door, leaving Lucas alone in the living room, silently cursing his father.

* * *

After the drama in the Scott household, Brooke tried to push the thoughts of Lucas out of her head and relax. She was squeezed in between Peyton and Haley on a couch, all of whom had opted to gossip than dance.

"So Dan just undercut Lucas like that?" Peyton questioned, "I knew he was harsh but I didn't know he was that harsh."

"Lucas didn't help. He made some comment about Nathan and Haley which didn't help things," Haley made a worried face but Brooke assured her it wasn't too bad.

"Well at least he offered to drive you here. I guess it means he likes you after all," Haley told Brooke.

"Please!" Brooke disagreed, "The night before, he walked in on me while I was changing then read my diary. And this afternoon, he made jokes about me crying over my favorite character." Brooke shook her head, "Maybe we're making an improvement but for now I just want to forget all that," she sighed.

"Good choice, Tigger," Haley said, "I for one am determined not to let this night get past me. This is the first night Nathan and I have actually spent not doing homework or working," she elaborated.

"Same here. I love Jenny and all but I know I'm glad we managed to find a babysitter," Peyton told her friends, referring to Jake's infant daughter, "Nothing is going to ruin this night for us."

Brooke agreed but less than two hours later, she spied a familiar figure in the corner of the room.

"Is that Lucas?" she questioned before getting up and approaching him, "Lucas?" she asked.

He spun around and looked at her, smirking.

"Hey. What are you doing?" he questioned.

"What are _you_ doing?" she questioned, "I thought Dan wouldn't let you come here, and I thought you didn't _want_ to come here."

Lucas sighed, "Look, there's a few things you've got to learn. I don't care what my dad says. He can go screw himself as far as I'm concerned. And again, this is none of your business so just go join your friends and leave me alone."

Brooke couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You do know you're going to be in so much trouble if he finds out about this, don't you?" she wondered, making sure he knew the consequences of his actions.

"Then don't let him find out," Lucas said walking away from her. Brooke shook her head in disbelief and rejoined Peyton and Haley.

"Is that Lucas?"

"Yup," Brooke said, "And he's probably going to get in trouble for it too." Brooke sighed.

"Well, Nathan and Jake will probably take care of him, so don't worry about it. It's not your problem," Peyton told her.

Brooke nodded, but in the back of her mind, she knew that it was her problem. After all, she was the one who would have to listen to Dan and Lucas arguments and cope with both of their tempers afterwards.

Although Brooke tried to forget about Lucas, Jake came up to the trio and pulled them away.

"We may have a slight problem." He informed them, "Lucas is… well, he's wasted and we need to get him home before he causes anymore damage."

Jake led them to where Nathan was currently propping Lucas up, "Thank god, you're here. Brooke, you need to take him home," he told her.

"Why me?" she questioned, "It's his problem!" she said.

"Okay, Brooke, I know Lucas probably deserves this but if it was you, he'd do it," Haley told her truthfully, "Just because he acts cocky, doesn't mean he is."

"Well, I didn't drive here. Does he have his keys?" she asked as Nathan fumbled around in Lucas' pockets, finally pulling out a set of keys.

"He's so going to kill be for driving his car," she complained as she took them off Nathan and the five of them made their way to Lucas' car.

They piled him into the backseat and Brooke thanked them all for their assistance.

"Thank Brooke," Nathan said, "I'd do it myself but my dad…" Brooke nodded in understanding, "I promise we'll back you up if Lucas complains, and we'll also buy you a cookie."

"A big cookie." She said.

"Okay, a big cookie."

"Many big cookies." Brooke added before she got into the front seat. "Come on, Broody, let's get you home," she told the half-conscious form as she sped off home.

* * *

Lucas awoke with a start and then recoiled in pain as his heavy head began to throb. He looked around his surroundings, feeling uncomfortable and icky.

He realized where he was, the bathroom he shared with Brooke, and currently he was leaning over the toilet bowl. Brooke was leaning against the wall next to him.

"Hey," she said when she realized he was awake.

"Hi... what are we doing here?" he asked.

"You got wasted and I brought you home," she explained giving him a look. Lucas sighed.

"Why are we in the bathroom?" he questioned.

"Because, Lucas, you were puking your guts out until the early hours of this morning." she handed him a glass filled with an unidentifiable substance, "Drink this." She told him.

"What is it?" he asked, eying it cautiously.

"Brooke Davis' world famous hangover cure. It does wonders."

"It looks like puke."

"No, whatever came out of your mouth last night was puke. Anyway, if you want to get rid of that headache of yours, you'll drink it"

"What if you've poisoned it? You hate me."

"Yeah, I do hate you. But if I wanted to really hurt you, I'd tell your parents about it," she pointed out.

"You haven't, have you?" Lucas asked in horror.

"Nope. I just told them you ate some bad food,"

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I know that if they did find out what happened, they'd ground you and you wouldn't be able to play in the game tomorrow night. And I know how important your basketball is to you."

"Thanks." Lucas said sincerely.

"It's okay. Just don't expect me to cover for you again. And you can be a little nicer from now on, okay?"

"Oh, and your dad will be wondering why you didn't go on your 4am jog, so just back up my story." Lucas nodded in understanding as he began to drink Brooke's drink. "That was gross,"

"I know, but you'll thank me in about 15 to twenty minutes time," she told him as she got up off the floor, "Go take a shower and freshen up. It's almost half nine and you have practice." She reminded him.

Lucas nodded as she left the bathroom, amazed that after all he'd put her through, she helped him.

* * *

Just after ten, Lucas emerged from the bathroom, feeling better than he did that morning. Brooke smiled at him when he entered the kitchen area and Lucas returned the smile.

Dan looked up between them, "I hear you had a stomach bug," he said. Lucas turned around and nodded.

"My poor baby, maybe you shouldn't go to practice," Karen said feeling Lucas' temperature.

"Mom, I'm okay now. I guess it was one of those 12-hours things." Lucas insisted.

"How was the party, Brooke?" Dan asked, "I didn't hear you come in,"

"I made it home pretty late. Peyton and Jake dropped me home," she said. "You must have been asleep,"

"We must have." Dan said, not looking up from his morning paper.

Karen went off to do some errands at the café and Lucas finished off his breakfast.

"I'm going to practice," he declared.

"Make sure you work on your free throws," Dan told him as Lucas placed his dishes in the sink.

"Yeah. Bye dad, bye Brooke!" he called as he began to leave.

"Have fun," Brooke said as she too got up and placed her dishes in the sink, "Want me to wash up?" she asked Dan as Lucas closed the front door.

"Leave them," Dan said to her without looking at her.

"Okay, I'll be in my room if you need me," she said as she prepared to leave.

"Oh Brooke," Dan stopped her, still refusing to look at her.

"Yes, Dan?"

"I appreciate you trying to cover for Lucas, but don't ever lie to me again. Do you understand me?"

Brooke was briefly rendered speechless as she wondered how he knew about what happened the previous night.

"Yes, Dan," she said as she walked back to her room, hoping that there would be no repercussions for her or Lucas.

**To Be Continued…**


	6. Every Simple Notion

**Chapter Six: Every Simple Notion**

Brooke looked over her history homework, making sure that there were no mistakes and she'd answered all the questions as fully as she could. Since she was trying to avoid Dan, she'd found the perfect opportunity to catch up on her homework.

Unfortunately, it was all finished and she had no choice but to face Dan.

She checked her watch and realized that it was almost 2pm in the afternoon and Lucas would be arriving home from practice soon. She silently pleaded for Lucas to hurry so that she could ask for his advice on dealing with Dan. She'd never been scared of anybody before but Dan's last comments to her had creeped her out.

Like her prayers had been answered, she suddenly heard the front door open and a mumbled conversation between Lucas and Dan. Brooke sighed, wondering if she should maybe meet Lucas in the living room but then she risked running into Dan and she really didn't want him to have both of them together where he could grill the two of them about the previous night.

She decided to wait until Lucas was safely in his room before talking to him. Eventually, the voices ceased and she could hear Lucas' heavy footsteps approaching. She put her ear up to her door so she could hear when he went into his room.

But the sound of the door clicking open never came. Brooke frowned and opened her room door to come face to face with Lucas, who was standing right outside her door.

She looked up at him, obviously not expecting him and was momentarily dumbstruck.

"Hey," he said to her, slightly amused by the situation, "You okay?"

"Uh… I was coming to look for you and… here you are!" she laughed nervously as she clasped her hands together.

Lucas took a hold of her arms and pushed her backwards as he entered the room. He closed the door behind him and Brooke sighed in relief as she sat down on her bed.

"How was practice?" Brooke asked deciding to break the ice. Lucas shrugged as he took a seat at a nearby chair.

"It was okay considering the fact that I couldn't remember the previous night's events. Jake told me that you drove me home."

"About that…" Brooke began searching for an explanation he'd accept.

"Thank you." Lucas replied, "You didn't have to do what you did and you didn't have to stay with me all night either – but I'm glad you did. Maybe I should start cutting you some slack," Lucas suggested a small smile playing on his lips.

"Well, if you did that, I doubt we'd have as much fun as we usually have. You know, the snide remarks, the walking in when I'm changing, and the reading of certain people's diaries…" Brooke rolled off. They both chuckled.

"Tell you what, how about I take you out to dinner after the game tonight?" Lucas offered, "My way of apologizing and maybe we could really get to know each other."

Brooke thought about it for moment and, deciding she had nothing to lose, agreed.

"Sure, why not. Although this isn't a…" she wondered how to phrase it, hoping it wouldn't sound stupid.

"No, it's not!" Lucas quickly assured, "I just think it's an opportunity to start with a fresh slate and stuff."

"I agree," she said, "Although I do have to warn you that your dad is pretty pissed. He knows I covered for you last night," Brooke told him truthfully. Lucas gulped and nodded his head.

"Yeah, I figured. He was giving me all this crap about late nights and how he's got his eye on me and stuff. Don't sweat it." Lucas offered her a small reassuring smile, trying to convince her that it was fine. Brooke nodded unconvinced.

"You need a ride to the game tonight?" Lucas offered, "Cheerleaders and players more or less meet at the same time so I figured there's no point in going separately," he suggested. Brooke looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Who are you and what have you done with the brooding, annoying guy that usually lurks here?" she questioned. Lucas broke out into a grin, "Ah ha! A smile, I've never seen one that wasn't preceded by an insult."

"What can I say? I'm growing as a person," Lucas joked and they both chuckled. "So, I'll pick you up at 5pm?"

"Pick me up from where? You're just opposite my room," the brunette pointed out.

"You never know. I could be in the living room. Or in the kitchen."

"Well, if you're in the garage, you better make sure you leave earlier, because I swear if you're late, then my offer is withdrawn," Brooke rolled her eyes, amused at how childish they were being, but pleased they'd actually had a conversation that didn't end in her getting royally pissed at him.

Lucas nodded and left her room, "5pm" he reminded her.

* * *

Brooke put the finishing touches to her hair, made sure her cheer-bag was packed and both her pom-poms were with her. Her bedroom door opened and Lucas stood with his game-bag.

"All set?" he asked, causing Brooke to jump. She held her hand to her chest.

"We have to work on your knocking," she told him as she zipped up her game-bag and grabbed her pom-poms, "I'm ready," she said.

They walked through the kitchen where Karen was busy cooking dinner. She spied them and gave them a smile.

"Are you both off?" she asked as they nodded, "then good luck and enjoy the game," she kissed a reluctant Lucas on the cheek and did the same for Brooke, "Do you want me to save you both dinner?"

"Actually we're going out for dinner." Lucas explained just as Dan came in from the living room, "But we should be back pretty early," he cast a glance at his dad, who simply stared at him.

"Well okay. Have fun," Karen called as Lucas and Brooke left the house. "He's taking Brooke to dinner. Isn't that nice? I'm glad they're getting along," Karen commented to her husband.

Dan made no reply but kissed his wife on the top of her head before returning to the living room.

* * *

Lucas emerged from the boy's changing rooms in a good mood. After scoring the winning basket after a tense game, he was grinning from ear to ear. Settling down outside the girl's changing rooms to wait for Brooke, a small gang of teammates and spectators arrived and greeted him with shouts of congratulations for a good game.

"So are you heading out for Tim's party?" one eager girl asked him. Lucas shook his head.

"I've got dinner plans actually so I've got to bail," he explained, trying to seem apologetic.

"So who's the lucky girl?" another asked.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"The girl. It's not like Lucas Scott to miss a victory party thrown in his honor," the guy said winking at Lucas.

"It's none of your business and I don't have to attend every single party, do I? Tim was going to have that party whether we won or lost," Lucas replied defensively. The group looked a little shocked at his outburst but they shrugged just as Brooke came out of the changing rooms. She glanced at the group in front of Lucas.

"Am I missing something?" she asked. Lucas quickly detached himself from the group.

"No they just wanted to congratulate me on the game. You about ready?" Brooke nodded and Lucas turned to the group and gave them a small wave as they left the gym.

"Doesn't she live with him?" the eager girl asked. Her friend nodded, "Some girls have all the luck," she sighed ruefully.

"She's hot," one boy said, "Is she dating Lucas?"

"Lucas doesn't date girls," another reminded him.

"In that case, maybe I'll ask her out," the boy continued.

"Felix," his friend warned, "You better be careful. Lucas isn't going to like it if you mess with his girl."

"I thought you said she isn't his girl. Plus, it's her choice whether she agrees or not, right?" Felix grinned.

"And I guess it's your choice if you want to be beaten to a pulp by Lucas or not!"

* * *

Brooke was pleased. Her dinner with Lucas was going great and she was learning a lot about him and his life.

"There was this one time that Nathan and I got into an argument and it really pissed my dad off. So he ended up locking us both up in a cupboard for an hour."

"Is that even ethical?" Brooke asked. Lucas shrugged.

"Like my dad cares. But it did the trick. Longest hour of my life but needless to say it worked and we never argued… at least in front of my dad," Brooke laughed.

"You see, I missed all of that. My parents had me – a mistake, like I've been told countless times – and that's it. They were never interested in having children so it's just always been me."

"Sounds tough."

"Could be worse, I could have had a younger sibling and god knows how that would have turned out. Plus, my parents usually left me all by myself. It's just that they're incarcerated right now and so I can't continue living on my own. But as much as I love New York, Tree Hill is pretty cool," she insisted before changing the subject, "So, are you thinking of going to college?"

Lucas nodded, "My dad wants me to get a basketball scholarship. He's actually trying to get all these scouts here to see me play."

"What do you think about it?"

"Why not? I'm one of the best in school and my dad really wants me to. I've got nothing to lose if I go for it," Lucas explained. Brooke watched him as he looked at his food.

"What if you get an injury or realize that you don't want to do it?" she questioned.

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I'm almost 18 years old and fighting fit. Just because my dad screwed it up in college doesn't mean I will," he said.

"Well just because Dan screwed up in college doesn't mean you have to live his dreams. If you didn't play basketball, then what would you do in college?" Lucas shrugged.

"I don't know. American and English literature maybe, but you try telling my dad that," Lucas shook his head, "Nathan gave up on his dream, my dad did too. I'm not going to give up," he told her.

Brooke bit her lip to refrain from saying anything else and simply decided to let the subject slide so they could enjoy the rest of their dinner.

* * *

Brooke and Lucas arrived back home slightly later than they had intended, but still earlier than their usual Saturday night curfew.

Unsurprisingly, Dan was still up and in the living room, waiting for the pair of them.

"Hello Dan," Brooke greeted when she saw him.

"Good evening. I thought you said you'd get back early," he commented. Lucas and Brooke glanced at each other.

"Well, we decided to go get ice cream on the way home." Brooke explained.

"Uh huh. Well, tomorrow's Sunday and that means you both have to get up early. We're going to church," Dan told them as he rose out of his seat.

"But we never go to church," Lucas pointed out.

"We do now, son," Dan replied as he walked past the two and head for his room, "Sunday mass starts at 9am. I want you both up by 7," he said finally, "By the way, who won?"

"We did," Lucas told him, still confused by the whole church debacle, "I scored eight baskets, including the winning one."

"Only eight?" Dan said before shrugging, "Maybe that stomach bug you had last night affected your game. Maybe next Friday night you should stay home. We have a scout coming from Duke next game. You better shape up," Dan reminded his eldest son, "Goodnight."

Broke and Lucas both muttered goodnights to Dan and looked at each other once the coast was clear.

"Are you okay?" Brooke asked Lucas. Lucas shrugged.

"I can deal with it. I guess we'd better go to sleep. We have church," he told her as they walked down the hall to where their rooms were situated.

"Okay. Thank you for dinner. I'll see you in the morning," she said as she kissed him lightly on the cheek and disappeared into her room.

"Good night," Lucas replied, a little taken aback by the gesture, but pleased that the night had been a success.

As they both prepared for bed in their respective rooms, they hoped that their new found friendship would allow them to have an ally in the house. However, neither could shake off the strange feeling that there was something else buried deeper in their so called friendship.

**To Be Continued…**


	7. Growing Stronger Warm And Wilder

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay, I got hit with writer's block (hence the reason 'A Change of Fortune' hasn't been updated either). I hope you enjoy this chapter, but a word of warning:

_**This chapter contains some mild spoilers for the upcoming episode, courtesy of the Cingular preview. It's not a huge spoiler (just dialogue), but if you want to wait until the episode airs, then that is fine by me. I just thought I should warn you. **_

**Chapter Seven: Growing Stronger Warm And Wilder**

"So," Peyton said as Brooke sat down beside them at lunchtime on Monday, "You were decidedly AWOL on Sunday. I tried calling you," she complained.

"Sorry, Dan made us all go to church," Brooke apologized.

"What is the spawn of Satan doing in a church?" Haley questioned laughing to herself over the irony of it all.

"Beats me. But he was pretty adamant we go," Brooke bit into her sandwich, "I think I'm going next week too," she groaned, "my butt went numb from sitting on those hard pews for two hours while Father Thomas went on and on about drinking on moderation."

"Ouch, do you think it had anything to do with Lucas on Friday night?"

"Almost definitely. Dan just sat there with a smug look on his face. And then the best part was when we forced us to go to confession," Brooke told them, being met by gasps of disbelief.

"He didn't?"

"Oh, he did."

"Well, what did you do?" Peyton asked, finding it all unbelievably funny.

"I confessed… I broke my diet," she giggled. Haley hit her on the arm.

"That is not funny," Haley told her trying to suppress laughter.

"Oh yes it is," Peyton replied, "I bet Dan thought you'd spill about what happened on Friday night or something like that."

"If I did it doesn't matter anyway. He wouldn't be able to find out about it. I guess he just wanted to scare us or something. Lucas was pretty pissed about it though."

"What did Lucas confess?" Peyton asked. Brooke shrugged.

"He didn't say so I didn't want to pry."

"Well, how did your dinner go after the game?" Haley asked, "He didn't act like an ass, did he?"

"Actually no, he was pretty pleasant. I think he's decided that acting like a two-year old gets him nowhere, not that I'm complaining because I actually like talking to him. He's different to what people see him as," Brooke explained. Peyton snorted.

"Yeah, right."

"He is. Ask Haley, he's always nice to her and Nathan. He even offered to pay the tab, but we ended up splitting it in half."

"Sounds like you've got a new friend," Haley told her. Brooke smiled to herself.

"Yeah, well… let's hope it sticks. I like nice, friendly, intelligent Lucas. He's much more bearable to get on with," Brooke said with a sigh.

Brooke, Haley and Peyton then chatted amongst themselves, unaware that Felix was sitting nearby and watching the three of them.

"You know you have a death wish," Anna, his twin sister, told him, "You and Lucas have never got on and going after his girl isn't going to make matters any better," she warned.

Felix snorted, "Word is that Lucas doesn't even like Brooke. Plus, she's a grown up girl who can make her own decisions."

"Doesn't mean they're the right decisions," Anna muttered under her breath, "No offence, but I still think that this is a bad idea."

"That's only because Lucas screwed you over. Plus, the girl on her left is pretty hot too," Felix chuckled.

"That's Haley Scott. Lucas' _sister-in-law_. Do you not even see the wedding band on her finger?" Anna pointed out.

"So?"

"Sometimes I even wonder if you have anything between your ears, Felix. You really don't care what Lucas is going to do to you if you mess with Brooke or Haley, do you?" Felix shrugged it off, seeing it as something he could get away with. "Fine, fine. Go ahead and ask Brooke out, but if Lucas wipes the floor with you, I'm letting him."

Anna walked away, shaking her head as she watched Felix about to go and get himself into more trouble.

Seeing himself as the school's resident Casanova, her brother didn't care what he did or who he hurt. Anna knew that Felix envied Lucas and longed to have the charisma and charm that made all the girls fall down at his feet. But, alas, Felix was merely a pale comparison. Yet, it didn't stop girls from falling down at his feet either. Felix loved nothing more than to step on Lucas' toes, knowing full well that Lucas's father was one tough cookie. Although Lucas had the skills on the basketball court, Felix had independence from his traveling parents and just happened to be just as wealthy as Lucas and his family.

It was almost like Romeo and Juliet, except there was no way either of these guys would ever be civil to one another, let alone fall in love. It was power, greed and wealth that drove the rivalry straight into the history books of Tree Hill High. Whether it was fights on the playground, at various parties or just verbal sparring, Lucas Scott and Felix Tagaro were destined to be enemies.

And putting Lucas' girl in the middle of that was bound to cause fireworks.

Anna shook her head, hoping that nobody would get hurt in the cross-fire. Their father had already warned Felix that military school was near, and that he was on his very last chance.

Although Anna could help but think that maybe it would be for the best.

* * *

Felix made his way towards the trio of girls and when they saw his shadow cast across the table, they look up at him.

"Can we help you?" Peyton asked. Felix grinned and looked at Brooke.

"You," he said to her, "are so damn fine."

The three laughed out loudly at his attempt to pick Brooke up. Felix frowned slightly.

"Does that line actually work?" Brooke asked.

"Well, usually but I can see you're much too sophisticated for that. Can I ask you a question?"

"Um, sure," Brooke said.

"Do you like cars?"

"I love cars," Brooke told him, "It's my guilty pleasure."

"Well in that case, I have a car you'll just love."

"Really?" Brooke asked skeptically.

"Yup. Although you can only see it on one condition."

"And what's that?"

"You let me take you out to dinner tonight," Brooke laughed and looked at her two girlfriends who just stared at her in interest. "Well, what do you say?" Felix asked.

* * *

"You're going out with Felix Tagaro?"

"Yes."

"Tonight?" Lucas asked. Brooke sighed as she walked towards her closet.

"Yes," she repeated again.

"Okay, do you actually know who this guy is?" Lucas was still in disbelief that Brooke could even think about going out with him, "The guy's a slime who doesn't even _respect_ women, I don't want you hanging around him."

"You know, you could be describing yourself there, Lucas. Need I remind you the rumors about you and the new girl-of-the-week?" Brooke asked, "Plus, it's only one night." She reasoned.

"That you'll never get back. I'm telling you that he's bad news. Didn't Haley and Peyton tell you that?" Lucas questioned. Brooke continued to look through her closet.

"They told me he has a reputation, but – not that it's any of your business – I have a good head on my shoulders. I don't fall for those fancy dinners and lame pick-up lines."

"I thought you wanted to see his 'car'" Lucas made air-quotes with his fingers, "You know, I always use my car to get into girl's pa-"

"That's something I really didn't need to know," Brooke cut him off, "And yes, I do love cars and I'm vaguely interested in his. It's just he's the first guy that's asked me out and I figured I may as well."

Lucas sighed, "I hate you doing this, you know that right?"

"How could I not? You've been going on about how much you hate him for almost 15 minutes now. It's getting kind of boring. You hate him, he hates you, I got it," she said pulling out an outfit and showing it to Lucas, "What do you think?"

"Isn't it a little… slutty?" Lucas questioned. Brooke arched an eyebrow.

"It's a sweater and a skirt. How can that possibly be slutty?" Lucas shrugged and Brooke replaced it on the rack, "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I promise you I won't… do anything with him."

Lucas looked up at her, "You won't?" he asked suddenly brightening up.

"Not on the first date anyway. Look, it's none of your business anyway, but I would never do anything I wasn't comfortable with. But it doesn't mean I won't go out with him again if I want to, got it?" Lucas sighed.

"Fine. But if he ever lays a finger on you…"

"Yes, you can kick his ass. Now will you please _go_?" she asked as she virtually pushed him out of her room.

Brooke closed the door and Lucas stood outside, staring at it for a while. He took a deep breath and hoped that Brooke would realise what an ass Felix was – without getting hurt.

Although he knew that the chances of that were very slim. The least he could do was to be there to pick up the pieces, or at the very least, kick Felix's ass.

* * *

Brooke flinched as the door made an audible click as she closed it behind her. She paused for several seconds and waited to see if anyone heard. Thinking that the coast was clear, she stood up straight from her and spun around; only for the lights to flick open. She looked at the unimpressed figure standing at the doorway.

"Karen," she said, "hi."

"It's late," Karen informed the girl, "Where have you been? You were supposed to be home two hours ago."

"I'm know, I lost track of time at the party Felix dragged me too and then he wanted to show off his car. It's fast," Brooke explained.

"So you broke curfew to go to a party and then go speeding around in a boy's car?" Karen asked.

"Well, when you put it like that…"

"I know that Dan is on business but I expect you to show me the same respect as you would show him. I may not appear as harsh as he does but rules are rules and you seem to have broken some of them tonight." Karen said sternly, a side Brooke had never seen before.

"I'm sorry," Brooke offered meekly.

"That's not going to cut it, Brooke. You had me up worrying about you. You didn't even call!" Karen raised her voice slightly.

"Felix told me-"

"Felix is not a part of this household and never will be. I set the rules and if you break them, you must suffer the consequences."

"Consequences?"

"You're grounded for a week. You will do the chores I set you, help out in the café everyday after school this week and there will be no parties, dates or driving. I'm confiscating your car keys," Karen said holding out her hand for them. Brooke sighed and handed them to Karen, whining slightly as Karen tucked it safely away in her pocket.

"What about practice?" Brooke questioned.

"Lucas will drive you to and from school and practice," Karen told her, "Are we clear?"

"I've never been grounded before," Brooke said mostly to herself.

"Well there's a first time to everything," Karen said, "There'll be a list of chores for you in the morning. Good night."

Karen left Brooke's room and the young girl sighed. She wasn't used to having parents around and had never really faced their wrath before.

And worst of all, she never had done any chores.

* * *

Lucas watched in amusement as Brooke scrubbed the kitchen floor with a sponge. Dressed down in jeans and a sweatshirt, the girl's hair was a mess as she tried in vain to remove a stain off the floor.

"Hey, Cinderella," he said making her aware of his presence, "Are you hanging in there?"

"I never knew your mom was so harsh. She's almost as bad as Dan," Brooke said as she took a break.

"Oh come on, Dan would probably only give you a toothbrush," Lucas told her, Brooke chuckled.

"Yeah, probably. It's just that I can't believe she actually grounded me. I thought she liked me."

"Brooke," he told her, "She does like you. I mean, she cares enough about you to ground you." Brooke let out a laugh and shook her head. Lucas leant down next to her, "So what number are you up to? Three?" he guessed.

"Four!" Brooke told him slightly proud, "Mop the kitchen floor," Brooke resumed rubbing the floor with the sponge.

Lucas looked at her and began to laugh.

"And you're using a sponge?" he questioned. Brooke slowed to a stop and looked at him.

"Is that wrong?" her question was met with a smile and a laugh from Lucas, one she had never seen. Although initially put out, Brooke saw the funny side and within seconds she was in hysterics too.

"Come on," he said to her through his laughs, "I'll teach you how to _really_ mop a floor," he helped her to her feet and took her to a cupboard near the door. He opened it.

"Wow, there are actual things in there," Brooke gasped.

"Yes, and this is a mop," he produced an object Brooke vaguely remembered seeing before. "Watch and learn," he told her as he began teaching her how to mop the floor.

Karen watched from the doorway as the two teenagers giggled to themselves. Even though Lucas knew he wasn't supposed to help Brooke do her chores since she was grounded, and she was still a little annoyed at Brooke's antics; she also couldn't help but feel content at the fact that they were getting along.

It had been a long time since the voices of teenagers filled the big house and she liked having a daughter. Though Brooke could not replace her youngest son, she was pleased that both she and Lucas had the young brunette's company.

**To Be Continued…**


	8. Telling Me Lies Tonight

**Chapter Eight: Telling Me Lies Tonight**

Lucas entered Brooke's room – without knocking as usual – and laid down on the bed beside Brooke, whowas flipping through a magazine.

Fresh from playing at the Rivercourt with Skills, Nathan, and the rest of his friends; Lucas was hot, sweaty and tired but still in the mood to have some fun.

Brooke, having become accustomed to Lucas' ways, merely glanced at him before investing herself back in her magazine.

"What are you reading?" he asked. Brooke showed him the cover, "_Vogue_, that's nice. Are you busy?" he asked. Brooke nodded.

"Very."

"I thought you and Haley were going shopping." Lucas asked. Brooke pointed to a pile of bags in the corner. "That was quick."

Brooke shrugged in reply.

"You look irritated. Are you irritated?" he asked her.

"No, I'm just busy reading my magazine," she told him.

"Why are you irritated?" he continued, "Did I irritate you?"

"I'm not irritated."

"What could I have done to irritate you?" he asked, ignoring all of her comments.

"You haven't irritated me," she said more forcefully.

"So who irritated you?"

"Nobody has irritated me!" she said again, getting annoyed with his questioning, although she tried not to show it.

"Mom!" he called, "Do you know why Brooke is irritated?"

"Karen isn't here, you doofus!"

"Why won't you tell me why you're irritated?"

"I am NOT irritated!" Brooke yelled at him. He looked stunned for a second before breaking out into a grin.

"_Now_ you're irritated," he told her laughing. She hit him with her magazine.

"I hate you," she muttered under her breath.

"You know, my favorite thing in the whole wide world is annoying you."

"Well, my favorite thing in the whole wide world is throwing you out of my room," she told him, "Now go!"

Lucas just grinned, "Come on, you know you really love me," he winked playfully.

Brooke rolled her eyes before laughing, "You really are deluded," she told him, deciding that she may as well let him be.

"You want to go out for pizza?" he suggested. Brooke was about to reply when the phone began to ring and, as it was on Lucas' side, he picked it up.

"Brooke Davis' Room," he told the person on the other end of the phone. Brooke watched as his features clouded over and he clenched his jaw, "I'm sorry, she's already got a date to the formal," he told the person. Brooke's eyes widened and she attempted to grab the phone off him.

"No, I haven't. Give it to me! Lucas!" she started to say, climbing over him, but he managed to fend her off with one hand.

"Even if she didn't have a date, I doubt she'd want to go with you," Lucas continued, "Well, why don't you come up here and say that to my face!" he began to yell before Brooke finally regained control of her phone.

"Hello?" she spoke into it, "Felix," she cast a glance at a fuming Lucas, "Yeah, sorry. Lucas was just joking around. No, I don't have a date. Yeah, I'd love to go. Okay, that'd be great. Thanks," she said before she hung up the phone.

"Are you really going to the formal with him?" Brooke nodded and Lucas got up off the bed.

"Hey, what about pizza?" she questioned. He just scoffed and looked at her angrily.

"I just lost my appetite."

* * *

"Hey Tarago!" Lucas yelled across the school's car park as he pulled up the curb. Felix looked behind him to see Lucas coming at him.

"Lucas Scott. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I hear you're taking Brooke to the formal."

"So what of it?" he asked, "It's none of your business. She's her own woman, and as far as I can see, one fine woman."

"See, it is my business because Brooke lives with me and she's one of my friends. You even get _close_ to hurting her, I break your arms."

Felix laughed and Lucas rolled his eyes, "You don't scare me," he said.

"Well I should. And just as collateral, I asked your sister to the formal." Lucas smirked while Felix suddenly became angry.

"She'd never go with you," he said.

"That's up to her. See, she's also her own _fine_ woman. You hurt Brooke, and then your sister will be the one picking up the pieces. You got me?"

Felix sighed, but was determined not to let Lucas get the best of him and so stood his ground.

"Fine," he spat, "But don't think I won't break your legs if you hurt my sister."

"Whatever," Lucas said as he began to walk away, "Just so we're clear."

* * *

"You're taking Anna?" Brooke asked Lucas as she dug into her Chinese food.

"Yeah."

"To formal?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to," Lucas replied.

"Why?" Brooke questioned again. Lucas sighed.

"Aren't you tired of asking questions? I'm going to formal with Anna, you're going with… Felix. Whoop-de-do," he said dryly.

"You don't happen to be doing this because I agreed to go with Felix, do you?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but last time I checked, the world didn't revolve around you," Lucas shot back.

"Fine." Brooke said, "Hey, maybe we could all go together," she suggested but shut up when Lucas shot her a look, "or not."

"He's only asked you to annoy me," Lucas told her pointedly.

"You are so full of it, Lucas. Is it not possible that he asked me because, say, he actually likes me?" Brooked questioned really irritated with Lucas' constant Felix-bashing.

Lucas shook his head, "Fine, don't listen to me. I was just looking out for you, okay?"

"I don't need anyone looking out for me. I've managed to survive sixteen years with parents who probably wouldn't notice if I set myself on fire. I think I can handle one dance," Brooke shot back.

Brooke and Lucas continued to eat their lunch in silence, each preferring to busy themselves in reading magazines, books or watching TV. Anything but discussing the formal or their respective dates.

That was until Nathan and Haley arrived.

"Hey, Nick and Jess," Brooke said as she let them inside, "what's up?"

"Haley wants me to go to this stupid dance," Nathan complained as he sat down next to Lucas on the couch.

"It's not a stupid dance!" Haley told him, "What is wrong with wanting to get all dressed up and spending time with my husband?" she questioned.

"Well, I would love to do that but we don't need a dance…"

"But this is the first time we're going as a _married_ couple. Plus, my first dance where I've actually _got_ a date," Haley said. Nathan groaned.

"Okay, fine, but I am not wearing a tux."

"Oh, you so are. Thank you, baby, I love you," Haley kissed him excitedly.

"Okay, PDA outside, please!" Brooke told them.

"We're not in public, Brooke," Haley said. Brooke gestured to herself and Lucas.

"We are your public; now unattach yourselves from each other before I get the hose," she warned. Haley and Nathan did so.

"So who are your dates?" Haley asked. Brooke looked up at Lucas, who didn't reply.

"Lucas never has a date. He has a motto, 'it's not who you go with, it's who you go home with', isn't that right?" Nathan asked his elder brother.

"Actually, I'm going with Anna," he said. Haley and Nathan exchanged a look.

"Anna Tarago?" Lucas nodded.

"Um, Brooke?" Haley ventured, "What about you?"

"I'm going with Felix," she announced brightly. The two newlyweds exchanged another look.

"So, Lucas is going with Anna, and Brooke is going with her brother?" Nathan questioned. They nodded, "huh, how did that one work out?"

"Ask your brother." Brooke said as she got up and left the living room. Haley followed after her.

Nathan faced his brother, "What is up with this arrangement? Does Felix know you're taking his sister?"

"Yup."

"Didn't he, I don't know, hit the ceiling?" Nathan questioned, "You hate the guy, and he hates you so why would he let you take out his sister?"

Lucas shrugged, "He didn't let me. I just told him I was and that was it."

Nathan thought for a little bit, "This isn't because Felix asked Brooke out, is it?"

"Maybe a little." Lucas admitted, "Felix may have asked Brooke to the dance, so I asked Anna out."

"Is Anna aware that you're only doing this to make Felix mad and Brooke jealous?" Lucas put down his book and looked at his brother.

"Look, I admit I'm doing this to make sure Brooke is safe in Felix's hands, but I'm certainly not doing it to make Brooke jealous," Lucas told him firmly. Nathan grinned.

"You like her."

"Who?"

"Brooke."

"No, I don't!"

"You do. Why else would you be going with Felix Tarago's sister?"

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because Anna is Felix's one weakness. Now he knows that if he even tried messing with Brooke, his sister will get the same treatment."

"Okay, you cannot be that cold," Nathan said, "You honestly wouldn't hurt an innocent girl like that to get back at Felix, would you?"

"It's a threat, Nathan. I wouldn't do anything to Anna, but if Felix even had one doubt that I would hurt her, then he'd leave Brooke alone. I just want to look out for her," Lucas said. Nathan smiled.

"That's kinda nice," Nathan said. Lucas gave an indifferent shrug.

"Whatever," Lucas replied.

* * *

"Okay, Felix, seriously?" Haley asked once they were safely inside Brooke's room.

"What is everybody's obsession with who I go to the dance with?" Brooke questioned.

"Because it's Felix. I'm sure you've heard that Lucas and Felix hate each other – we warned you the day he asked you out."

"Yeah, and I had fun with him. So when he asked me to the dance, I figured I may as well seeing as he wasn't all bad," Brooke reasoned.

"Didn't you get grounded after your last date with him?" Haley reminded Brooke.

"That was just once," she said, "plus, it's Lucas who has a problem with Felix, not me."

"But do you really want to be put in the middle of it all? I'm in a freakin' family drama, Brooke. You have no idea what it's like to know that the man you love is virtually unwelcome in his own home because he wanted to marry you. We have had to give up everything we love just so we can be together and whatever problems Nathan and Dan had before are now because of me. It's not fun being in the cross-fire." Haley confessed.

"Haley, I had no idea…" Brooke began, humbled at the young woman's outburst.

"Forget about me," Haley laughed, suddenly very embarrassed, "just be careful and make sure Felix treats you right. If you thought Lucas was a Lothario, you have no idea what Felix is like," Haley smiled.

"I'll be fine." Brooke reassured, "plus, this is supposed to be a fun dance," she said putting an arm around Brooke.

"Yeah, let's hope," Haley commented.

**To Be Continued…**


	9. Existentialism On Prom Night

**Chapter Nine: Existentialism On Prom Night**

Anna, Lucas, Brooke, Felix, Nathan, Haley, Peyton and Jake sat at a table a little away from the dance floor. They had arrived almost two hours previously and it had only been the latter couples that had graced the dance floor together more than once. Brooke and Felix, and Lucas and Anna were all confined to sit at the table, shooting glares at each other.

When Felix asked Brooke to dance, Lucas immediately asked Anna, knowing that her brother would not be pleased. Lucas was right about that because he got satisfaction from seeing Felix sending him a look during the song they were dancing to with their respective partners. After that, neither Felix nor Lucas asked their dates for a dance and so sat at the table, making small talk with anybody but each other.

"I love this song," Peyton exclaimed trying to break the tension, "How about a dance, Jake?" she asked. Jake agreed and they two left for the dance floor. Haley turned to Nathan, who shook his head immediately.

"Don't even think about it," he warned her.

"Nathan, you're not that bad, really. Plus, you've already danced three times. Once more won't hurt," she insisted, "Please?"

Nathan hated to see his wife plead so he sighed and nodded his head, "Fine, fine. But you owe me big time." As Nathan left the table, he cast a glance at Lucas, who promptly cleared his throat.

"Anna," he said being met with a glare from Felix, "would you mind if I asked Brooke to dance?"

"What?" Brooke said turning her attention away from the dance floor once she heard her name.

"Um, sure," Anna said as Lucas got up and waited for Brooke to join him on the dance floor.

Brooke gave Lucas a look but got up anyway, deciding that it would provide her with a good opportunity to talk to him about his attitude.

"Um, Felix do you mind?" she questioned. He gritted his teeth and shook his head.

On the dance floor, Brooke and Lucas awkwardly danced together.

"Is this rivalry between you and Felix ever going to end?" she questioned. Lucas shrugged.

"It's been going on since he moved here so I don't think so," he told her. She sighed.

"So, uh, there's this party at Tim's dad's beach house and Felix was wondering-"

"You can't go," Lucas said. She looked at him.

"What do you mean I can't go? You're my dad now?"

"Look, Brooke, I don't trust Felix and I know what goes on at these parties… I just, I want you to be careful, okay?" Brooke noted that his tone had lowered and he genuinely seemed concerned.

"I will be careful," she told him, "But I think you're wrong about Felix. I think his intentions are perfectly honorable." Lucas shrugged.

"Fine, but please tell me you have a good right hook."

"Lucas…"

"Fine, fine!" he sighed, "I think Anna and I will tag along."

"Lucas…" Brooke began to protest but decided that it wasn't worth her effort, "Just make sure you keep away from Felix."

"That's fine. I was planning on keeping Anna busy anyway," Lucas groaned when Brooke hit him.

"That's gross," she said making a face, "Let's hope _she_ has a good right hook."

* * *

The dance had quickly come to an end and most had headed to Tim's beach party, including Lucas, Brooke and their respective dates.

Upon arrival, Felix and Brooke had made sure they kept as far away from Lucas and Anna as possible – which was alright with Lucas, who'd decided that Felix shouldn't hinder his plans with Anna anyway.

To his excitement, Anna had led Lucas up to a room and locked the door behind her, giving him a seductive smirk as she did so.

"Hey," she said. Lucas grinned.

"Hey, yourself. I never pegged you as the dominant type," he said. She simply smiled and kissed him firmly on the lips.

Some way into the kissing, Lucas found his hands roaming the back of Anna's dress, in his search to find the zipper. Suddenly, Anna slapped his hands away and pulled away from his grasp.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She looked at the floor.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong, I'm sorry," she apologized before kissing Lucas again.

However, it didn't last long and suddenly, the girl had bust into tears. Lucas was astounded.

"Um, are you okay?" he ventured again. She cried further and Lucas began to panic, "Hey, um, you're not going to tell your brother about this are you? I'm sorry I pressured you or anything."

"It's not that," Anna said in between sobs.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't like you."

"Huh?"

"I…I don't want this. I was lying to myself about it for so long and I thought that if I went out with you, then maybe I'd know for sure, or these stupid feelings would go away, but they haven't and now I know that I can't fight this and I have to deal with it and the worst thing is that I've made an idiot of myself in front of you!" she said all in one breath and near hysterics.

Lucas looked at her, trying to make sense of what she'd said.

"Great, now I'm a blubbering mess," she sighed.

"I have no idea what you just said, Anna," Lucas told her, "Care to run that by me again, but slower?"

Anna sighed.

"I'm gay."

"Oh."

"But I'm also straight."

"Oh."

"And now you hate me, don't you?"

"No, no!" Lucas said, sitting down next to her, "I mean, it's a shock, I wasn't expecting it but… wow. Does Felix know?" Anna shook her head.

"No, and you can't tell him. Or anyone! I… it's something I've been battling with for a while and I guess I wanted to just make sure. I really was hoping that I could do this, especially since you're Lucas Scott, but I'm just not attracted to you," she told him.

"You don't find me attractive?" Lucas questioned, wondering how much worse this could get.

"Sorry," Anna said. Lucas pouted slightly.

"It's okay, I guess. Although I kind of wish I'd know _before_…"

"Well, look at it this way; at least you managed to keep Felix's hands off your girlfriend."

"Brooke isn't my girlfriend," Lucas told her.

"I know that, but you want her to be, right?" Anna asked. Lucas shook your head.

"You have no idea what you're saying," Lucas said, "She's a girl who lives in my house. For all I know, we could be related or something. Plus, she hates me. I hate her."

"Then why were you so concerned about Felix and Brooke together?"

"Because, no offence, your brother is a royal ass and I don't trust him," Lucas explained, "And that in no way means I like Brooke, because even though she is tolerable, there are no feelings of that kind!"

"Okay, don't be so defensive. I must have made a mistake," Anna apologized.

"Yes, you must have. So, what do you want to do now? Go back downstairs and we'll do our own thing. No hard feelings?" Lucas suggested.

"No, I think I just want to go home. I have a lot of thinking to do and I still can't believe I humiliated myself in front of you."

"Forget about it. I'll drive you home."

"Lucas," Anna stopped him, "Will you keep this between us? Just until I get things sorted out?" Lucas nodded.

"Of course," he said, "But for the record, I broke up with you."

Anna snorted, "Why do you get to be the one who dumped me?"

"Because it'll keep my reputation intact."

Anna rolled her eyes, "How about we just say we decided things weren't going to work out and we leave it as friends?" Lucas nodded.

"Okay. But unofficially, I'm the one who dumped you."

* * *

Lucas closed his car door and walked back into Tim's father's beach house after dropping Anna home. He bumped into Mouth on his way in.

"Hey, Mouth, have you seen Brooke?" he asked. Mouth pointed inside the house.

"She was with Felix last time I saw her," he said. Lucas inwardly groaned and proceeded inside.

He looked around for Brooke but spotted Felix with some friends near the bar.

"Hey, Tarago, where's Brooke?" he questioned. Felix shook his head and shrugged.

"How should I know?" Felix asked, "She ran off a while ago. That's the last time I ask her out," he grumbled.

Lucas grabbed Felix.

"If you've hurt her…" he began only to be pulled away by Jake, who'd been watching.

"Come on, Lucas. Let him go. I know where Brooke is," he said easing Lucas far away from Felix.

"Where is she?" Lucas asked, getting worried. Jake pointed out at the beach.

"She's been there for about twenty minutes. She looks pretty upset and said she wanted to be left alone," he explained, "Maybe you should go and talk to her."

Lucas merely nodded and made his way out onto the beach, noting that the weather had cooled down considerably. He shuddered slightly, dressed only in his formal pants and white shirt.

She was trying to keep herself warm by rubbing her hands gently up and down her arms, and failing miserably.

"Room for one more?" he questioned as he came up besides her. She looked up at him briefly before turning away.

"It's a free beach," she said quietly. Taking that as a confirmation, Lucas sat down on the sand next to her.

"They said I'd find you here. You okay?" he asked, deciding it'd be best if he made the first move. Brooke shrugged in reply.

"I've been better," she said, her voice a little husky.

"Do you… maybe… want to… talk about it?" Lucas ventured.

"Not really."

"That's okay. We can just sit in silence." Lucas said knowing that Brooke couldn't keep her mouth shut for too long.

"Where's Anna?" she asked.

"I took her home. It didn't work out so we decided it'd be best if we left things where they were."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I'm not. She's pretty cool. Sucks being Felix's sister," he said. Brooke let out a snort in agreement.

"You can say that again," she said looking at Lucas. She sighed before continuing, "I found out that Felix was only interested in my body… and getting back at you. Apparently I was just the perfect pawn to rile you up," her face was becoming so numb from the cold; she didn't realize that tears were running down her face.

"Really?" Lucas said, silently making a note to castrate Felix the next time he saw him.

"Yeah. And here I was actually thinking that he was a nice guy who wanted to get to know me. Who I could go out on dates with and share jokes with, and just be with, instead of just being used to annoy a rival," she sighed heavily.

"Felix is an ass. It's not your fault. It's not worth getting upset over," he said drawing attention to her tears. She laughed.

"I'm not crying because of him," she told him.

"You're not?"

"No, I'm upset because… you were right! You were right about everything and I… I didn't listen to you and I got burned and… you were right!"

Lucas let out a small chuckle, "Yeah, I can see how that might suck," he said. Brooke smiled.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "for not listening to you."

"Don't be. Guys lie and usually to get into girls' beds. I'm really sorry you got hurt," Lucas said honestly.

"That's it? No 'I told you so'? Come on, Lucas, you warned me about him and I didn't listen and I got hurt, and there isn't going to be any… gloating? That's not like you."

Lucas shrugged, "I just think it's been a long night and we've all learnt a lesson."

Brooke looked at Lucas questioningly, "What was your lesson?" she asked. Lucas shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just go home, okay?" Brooke nodded.

"Okay." Lucas stood up first and extended his hand for Brooke. She looked at it and then at him, and hesitated before taking it. Lucas helped her up and the two walked silently down the beach together.

**To Be Continued…**


	10. Mistakes We Knew We Were Making

**Chapter Ten: Mistakes We Knew We Were Making**

Brooke stumbled into the bathroom still half-asleep. Her head was slightly heavy and she swore that she could hear some strange noises in her head.

She put some toothpaste on her toothbrush and began to brush her teeth before realizing that she could hear water running.

Brooke glanced behind her and sure enough, the shower was running.

'_Trust Lucas not to lock the bathroom door'_ she grumbled to herself, wondering if she could have a little fun with this or exit quietly so as not to embarrass them both.

Realizing that this was probably too good an opportunity to pass up, her lips curled into a devious smile and she put down her toothbrush. Stealthily walking towards the shower, she took Lucas' towel from the rack and ran back to the washbasin, jumping up onto the counter.

She sat with the towel on her lap and waited for Lucas to stop his shower and realize that his towel was missing.

Brooke only had to wait five minutes before the shower stopped and a hand slowly reached out for his towel. Brooke grinned as the figure groaned from inside the shower and opened the shower door fully, releasing a cloud of steam.

"Where the hell is that towel?" came the annoyed voice as he began walking towards Brooke and the steam began to clear.

Brooke's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. And it didn't belong to Lucas Scott.

As the steam cleared fully, the naked figure looked Brooke straight into the eyes in equal shock.

"Brooke!" he cried.

"Nathan!" she exclaimed throwing him his towel.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked angrily, wrapping the towel around his waist.

"Me? This is my bathroom! And I thought you were Lucas!"

"You do this with Lucas?" Nathan asked. Suddenly, Lucas raced into the bathroom and looked between the two. Brooke, in her tank top and shorts, and a dripping wet Nathan with merely a towel around him.

"What the hell?" he questioned.

Brooke put her hand on her head, "This is all eerily familiar," she noted.

"You're telling me, at least there was no frying pan involved this time," Nathan said grumpily.

"What are you doing in the bathroom with Brooke?" Lucas asked Nathan.

"Oh, we weren't doing anything. I thought he was you and so I thought I'd play a practical joke and steal the towel. But it ended up being Nathan, and it kinda backfired." Brooke explained quickly.

"You just love to cause trouble, don't you?" Lucas asked.

"It's not my fault. I didn't know Nathan was in here. Which brings me to the question, why is he here?"

"I crashed with Luke," Nathan explained.

"Ew. Please don't tell me Tutor Wife was here too because that would be a creepy threesome," Brooke grinned. Nathan looked at the bathroom floor.

"Brooke… are you done?" Lucas asked reminding her of where they were.

"Oh, right. Fine, I'll leave, but no hanky panky, okay?"

"Brooke!"

"I'm going," she said as she opened the bathroom door that led to her room, "oh, and Nathan? I can see why Tutor Girl married you," she winked as she left.

Nathan grinned but it fell when he saw the look Lucas was giving him.

"What?"

* * *

Peyton, Haley and Brooke cuddled up together on Brooke's bed. Pigging out on popcorn, ice cream and pizza, the three girls had decided that since it was the day after the formal, they'd relax and veg out on all unhealthy foods.

"See, this is why those two weeks of eating healthy crap is so worth it," Peyton said taking another slice of pizza.

"I though we did it to fit into our dresses," Haley said.

"We did, but there's nothing like the night-after-formal-pig-day."

"This is our first one!"

"Well, we should make it tradition, then," Peyton said proudly.

"I'm not going to the next formal," Brooke told them. They both looked at her.

"What? Because of one stupid guy you're giving up on school dances?" Peyton asked.

Brooke shrugged, "I don't see what the big deal is. We have to work to get into über-expensive dresses, which we only wear once by the way, and for what? A guy who lies so he can get into your pants? It's stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Brooke complained.

"I didn't realize this whole Felix thing had such an affect on you," Haley said giving Brooke a hug.

"It's not that. Well, not _just_ that," she sighed, "In New York, I had a line of guys after me just because I was a young, rich, beautiful girl who had control of her parent's penthouse. I knew that's all I was. Guys stayed with me until they got what they wanted and moved on after that. I never found a guy who I thought really liked me for me. They just saw the boobs and the money and that's it. When I left NYC, I swore that the next time I'd have sex would be with a guy I was in love with. With Felix, I actually believed that he liked me. I wasn't in love with him, but I was hoping it'd go that way," Brooke confided in her two friends.

Unbeknownst to the girls, Lucas had been walking past Brooke's room and had heard the whole thing.

"Do you know how jealous I am that I don't have somebody like Nathan or Jake? You are both so lucky to have somebody who cares about you. It's so hard to find a guy you can trust."

"What about Lucas?" Haley suggested.

"What about him?" Brooke asked.

"You both seem pretty close, not that I'm insinuating anything is going on between you, but couldn't you at least trust him?"

"I guess. But it's different with Lucas. He's like one of my best friends – albeit slightly annoying and spoiled. And I guess he does take pretty good care of me. He did warn me about Felix," Brooke pondered as she ate a piece of popcorn. "But it's not like I could ever date him, could I? I mean, he doesn't even like me in that way. I think he sees me as more of a sister than anything else. Plus, how weird would that be?"

"I guess. But you'd make a pretty cute couple. You have that whole Broody/Cheery thing going on." Peyton commented.

"Totally. Hey! We could be sister-in-laws!" Haley said excitedly.

"Okay, guys. I think you've had too much sugar. There is nothing going on between us, and even if there was, who knows that we wouldn't kill each other first," Brooke said.

Lucas grinned from his position outside her door after hearing the conversation. Just as he was about to leave as stealthily as he'd come, Nathan spotted him.

"Hey, Lucas, what are you doing outside Brooke's door?" he asked slightly louder than Lucas would have wanted. Lucas made several hand gestures to tell Nathan to shut up.

Suddenly the door opened and the three girls revealed themselves and gave Lucas a look. He laughed nervously.

"Hey, girls. I was just coming to ask you if you needed anything but you look pretty good so… I'm just… you know where the kitchen is – not that girls belong in the kitchen, that's just where the food is," he closed his eyes, realizing that it wasn't going well, "Nathan and I are going to go now and leave you alone. Come on, Nate!" he said as he quickly scurried off outside with his brother in tow.

The girls looked at one another before collapsing in giggles and leaving to gossip further.

* * *

Brooke cleared up the empty dishes that she and her friends had left behind. Peyton, Nathan and Haley had all left fifteen minutes previously since Dan and Karen would be coming home from work within the next hour or so.

As Brooke began washing them up, Lucas entered the kitchen after having a shower and smiled at Brooke, grabbing a drink from the fridge.

"Hey," he said, "Need some help?"

"No, I've got it. Have fun with Nathan?" Brooke asked. Lucas nodded.

"Yeah, beat him three times out of five."

"Not bad."

"Listen, um, I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I didn't mean to eavesdrop," he apologized. Brooke smiled to herself.

"Don't worry about it," she said. Lucas looked at her before deciding to continue.

"I really am sorry. I had no idea what happened to you in NYC and I just want to make sure you're okay," he told her. Brooke paused from washing the dishes.

"Uh… thanks. But I'm okay, really. It's just my faith in men that's taken a knock. It'll be fine. I'll get over it," she said.

"You just have to say the word and Felix will be six-feet under. I promise," he said. She laughed.

"That won't be necessary, Lucas, but thanks," she finished washing up the dishes and wiped her hands on a nearby towel. "I'm going to go feel sick or something. I think I had far too much chocolate," she said.

As she walked past him, she gave him a small kiss on his cheek, "Again, thank you." She said sincerely before walking back to her room.

As Lucas went past the room five minutes later, he paused as he could hear faint sobs from within the room. Deciding that it probably would be best to leave her alone, Lucas couldn't help but feel his blood rising.

Felix Tarago would have to pay.

* * *

Lucas Scott walked like a mad-man on a mission. After the events of the weekend, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

Upon seeing Felix sweet-talking another girl during the lunch break, Lucas went straight for him, and before he could stop himself, hit him square across the cheek.

Within seconds, a crowd had formed chanting "fight! Fight!" over and over again. It did nothing to calm Lucas down and he reveled in the feeling of empowerment.

Felix nursed his cheek and looked up at the man in front of him. Shocked, but angry, he smiled deviously.

"Is that all you got?" he taunted.

"Oh, I'm not even started yet, Tarago. You want to mess with me, that's fine – just leave Brooke alone!"

"Oh, it's her again. Great." Felix rolled his eyes for dramatic effect, "Just because she keeps her legs crossed, you think you have to be her white knight?" Felix laughed.

"Keep going Felix, you're only going to make things worse," Lucas promised. Felix went for Lucas but Lucas managed to dodge it just in time.

"Wow, you must really have a hard-on for her to be defending her like this. Want to know a secret? You and I are exactly the same. Just because there's some girl you like in the picture, doesn't mean you can change your ways."

Lucas had had enough and tackled Felix to the ground, hitting him over and over again. Before long, Lucas and Felix were pulled apart by Nathan, Jake and some of Felix's friends.

They both looked at each other, rage building up inside of them. Felix smiled as he noted the blood coming out from his lip. Unsatisfied, Lucas lurched for Felix again but Nathan and Jake's strong grip prevented him from doing so.

"Scott! Tarago! In my office. Now!" yelled the principal as he came outside to look at the scene in front of him. Both men were escorted past the crowd that had formed and followed their principal inside the building.

As Lucas walked past, he saw a pair of familiar brown eyes looking at him with a guilty and afraid expression.

She'd known what he'd done and why he'd done it, and was afraid of what the consequences would be.

Lucas, however, was ready for any punishment that came to him. He'd got his revenge and that was all that mattered to him.

* * *

"Are you some kind of an idiot?" Dan Scott yelled. He'd been yelling for almost ten minutes straight after being called to Tree Hill High by the principal. They'd sent Lucas home, where he'd be for the next three days thanks to a suspension and having to forfeit one basketball game. "I have to close up the dealership to try and get you out of this mess you got yourself into. Just thank your lucky stars I managed to get your basketball ban down to one game!"

Lucas sighed as he glanced at his watch.

"Don't you dare give me that look! That 'I-don't-give-a-crap' look. Do you realize that there was a scout coming? You may have just missed your chance." Dan continued.

"There'll be other scouts," Lucas told his father.

"Yeah, I know there will, but this goes down in your record. What kind of impression does that give?" Dan questioned.

"What I don't understand, honey, is why you did what you did," Karen interrupted, knowing that yelling at her son wouldn't help things.

"Isn't it clear? He hates Felix." Dan said. "Good thing that Felix was on his last chance. He's off to some military school, and you just better hope you don't follow him there!" Dan threatened. "If you throw away your chance for success, there is going to be no end to the punishment you're going to get."

"It was a girl, wasn't it?" Karen correctly surmised. Lucas looked at the floor and Dan scoffed.

"Great, that's perfect. You almost threw away everything over some girl? She better be a looker, son, otherwise you're stupider than I thought."

Lucas refused to say anything.

"I don't want to look at you anymore. Go to your room. You're grounded for a week. Hardcore grounding. That means no PlayStation, no cellphone, no computer access. The only thing you're going to be doing is homework and making up for all the practice you're going to miss. You're hitting the gym every single day until you go back to school. Do you understand me?" Dan asked. Lucas got up and looked his dad in the eyes.

"Got it." He said before going into his room and slamming the door.

Karen looked at her husband who was still fuming.

"He's going to make a mess of his life, just like his brother." Dan commented as he kicked a chair.

"Calm down. Destroying furniture isn't going to do anyone any good, Dan." Karen told him.

"I just hope that whatever girl he's putting his future on the line for is worth it."

Just then, the door opened and Brooke entered. She looked at her god-parents, both of whom forced a smile on their faces.

"Hey, Brooke." Karen said, "How was school?" Brooke shrugged.

"Okay, I guess. Um… I heard about what happened to Lucas," she said. Dan scoffed.

"Do you know what it was about, Brooke?" Karen asked.

"Apparently it was a girl. Who was that girl he took to the dance?" Dan asked.

"Uh, Anna. Felix's sister. But it was nothing to do with her. Believe me," Brooke told them.

"Then who was it about?" Karen asked.

"I wouldn't know." Brooke told them. Dan and Karen nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer.

"Well, Lucas is grounded so I'd appreciate it if you'd make sure he sticks to it. I'm going back to the dealership. Let's hope I haven't lost any valuable customers." Dan said as he grabbed his car keys.

"I think I'm going to go back to the café." Karen said, "I'll be back in the evening."

Brooke waved them both off and when the coast was clear, she went to Lucas' room and gently knocked on the door.

"What?" came the grumpy reply.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

"Okay," Lucas said. Brooke opened the door and shyly stood in the doorway.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm fine. It's nothing really." Lucas told her.

"I'm really sorry for getting you into trouble," Brooke told him.

"Brooke, it's not your fault, okay? Felix got what he deserved, and I can deal with whatever I get." He promised her. Brooke nodded.

"So, I'm going to make some food. Do you want some?" she asked.

"I'm not allowed food in my room when I'm grounded." Lucas told her. She smiled.

"I won't tell if you won't." she said. Lucas smiled back.

"Okay, then. Thank you."

"No, Lucas. Thank _you_."

**To Be Continued…**


	11. Green Tigering The Gold

**Thank you to whoever nominated me as Best New Author at the Tangled Web Awards! I'm very grateful. This chapter is for you!**

**Chapter Eleven: Green Tigering The Gold**

Brooke awoke with a start and sneezed loudly. Recuperating long enough to brace herself for the one that followed, the teenage brunette sighed and attempted to get out of bed. After a sudden rush of dizziness that overcame her, she flopped back down into her bed and remained there.

Karen came in ten minutes later with laundry and frowned at the sight of the young woman still in bed, "Brooke, it's almost ten past six. You have to get up."

"Tried that. Felt dizzy. Not doing it again," came the reply. Brooke noticed that her voice now sounded like Kermit the Frogs.

"Hmm, you don't sound well. Let me feel your temperature," Karen said as she put the palm of her hand on Brooke's forehead, "You do feel slightly hot. Maybe you should stay home today," she suggested.

"But I have cheerleading practice today! Can't I stay home tomorrow? I have an algebra test then," she questioned.

"And risk you infecting the whole cheer squad? From one cheer captain to another, I don't think it's such a good idea." Karen said. "Rest it out. It must be one of those 24 hour things. I'll get you some honey and lemon for your throat."

Brooke sighed as Karen left the room and wondered what she was going to do all day.

Almost an hour later, when Karen had left for the café, Brooke managed to pull herself out of bed. Although she wasn't feeling any better, she decided that sitting in bed all day wasn't her idea of a day off.

She pulled on her nightgown and walked slowly down the hall and into the kitchen. She peered into the fridge and looked at the contents of it. Frowning after finding no edible pieces of food that didn't require at least some effort; she closed it and made her way into the living room.

Lucas entered from his room. He looked at Brooke and then thought for a moment, "Aren't you supposed to be in school already?" he asked. Brooke sneezed in reply, "Oh, never mind." Lucas said, "Have you had any breakfast?" he asked.

"No because that would require some effort and I don't have any energy," she explained, "Speaking of, I'm just going to sit down on this couch because my legs are pretty much turning into jello."

Lucas watched as she slipped onto the nearby couch and sighed contently as the weight was lifted off her legs. He opened up the fridge and took out some ingredients.

"So breakfast. I was thinking some toast, a tea, followed by either orange juice or some kind of energy drink."

"You don't eat all of that," Brooke stated.

"I meant for you. You look like death and quite frankly, it's a little scary." Brooke shot him a look.

"You don't have to do any of that," Brooke said, "Although a little toast might me nice, and I could do with some orange juice. Oh, but I want something hot like tea first. But not too weak because it's all milky and urgh, and I like it strong."

Lucas laughed, "Coming right up."

"Wait a minute! You can't cook!"

"I think I'm pretty okay with throwing bread in a toaster and boiling some water, Brooke. You just rest it up. I think we have some flu medicine somewhere too. I'll find it for you." Lucas informed her.

"That's sweet. Although don't you have… grounded things to do? Like chores?" Brooke stifled a yawn.

"I am grounded, yes. But that does not mean I can't take care of my favorite live-in… whatever you are to me. Plus, I'd rather not hear you coughing and sneezing all day long," Brooke stuck out her tongue at Lucas and managed to find the remote so she could see what was on TV.

"Oooh, E! True Hollywood Story is on," she said to nobody in particular.

Lucas busied him with making breakfast for them both and proudly arranged the food in the shape of a funny face. A little childish, but Lucas was sure it would bring a smile to Brooke's face.

But by the time Lucas brought the tray of food to her, E! True Hollywood Story was softly revealing the exploits of Shannon Doherty was being broadcast to the girl fast asleep on the couch.

Lucas couldn't help but laugh and gently set the tray on the coffee table, and found a nearby blanket to cover her with. He settled himself down on the couch next to her after grabbing his own breakfast and gently turned up the volume slightly.

This was one E! True Hollywood Story that looked pretty damned interesting.

* * *

Brooke awoke and sighed, her stomach grumbling loudly. She looked at the TV screen and squinted slightly to look at the blurred images flashing on the screen. She cast a glance to Lucas who was heavily interested in what was being shown. 

"Are you watching E! True Hollywood Story?" she questioned. Lucas almost jumped out of his skin.

"You're awake!" Brooke nodded, "And this is EPSN," he told her attempting to change over the channel and failing miserably.

"Why would ESPN be interviewing Luke Perry?" Brooke arched an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, you caught me. But that is only because Jennie Garth is totally hot."

"You are such a guy," she complained as her eyes rested on the food tray in front of her, "What's this?"

"That's your breakfast. It's probably cold now but that's because you were dead to the world by the time it was ready. I could make you some more if you'd like," he offered. Brooke smiled, touched at the thought.

"No, it's okay. I like cold toast," she said, "Hey! It's in a funny looking face," she grinned as she took a slice. Lucas smiled.

"Want to watch a DVD or something?" he asked. Brooke shrugged.

"Okay, I'm not that tired anymore. Don't you have chores to do?" she asked.

"I'd rather take care of you," Lucas told her as he opened the DVD cabinet, "So what do you want to watch? _The Fast And The Furious_? I think _Coach Carter _is supposed to be good."

"Isn't that about basketball?" she asked. Lucas nodded and Brooke shook her head, "Nothing about basketball or cars… or war! I hate those movies."

"Well, what do you want to watch? Oh, and we're not watching _Bring It On_ or any crap like that," Lucas told her.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I said so, that's why."

"I'm the patient here! You have to see to my needs," Brooke coughed for dramatic effect. Lucas sighed and ran his hands through his short hair.

"How about we compromise? You pick a number, say like four, and I'll choose the fourth DVD and we both watch it, no arguments, okay?" he suggested. Brooke nodded and closed her eyes.

"Um… seventeen," she said.

"Seventeen?"

"It's my favorite number," she said as she watched Lucas count the seventeenth DVD, "So what is it?" she asked.

"Uh…" Lucas looked at her, "_The Notebook_," he said pulling it out.

"Oh, goodie. I haven't seen that one! Stick it in," she said far too excitedly for his liking.

Lucas looked cautiously at the cover, "This looks sappy." Brooke gave him a look.

"It's a love story, of course it's going to be sappy. Come on, put it in!"

"How about we choose another?" he asked.

"Lucas!" she cried, "You said we have to watch it. You have to do good on your end of the bargain. I would have watched freakin' _Hoop Dreams_ if pulled that one out!"

"Can we?" Lucas asked hopefully.

"No!" Brooke told him defiantly, "We are watching _The Notebook_ and we are going to enjoy it…also, I might need some kind of cough sweet because I sound like a frog!" Brooke said just before she descended into a fit of coughs. Lucas stuck the DVD in the player and fished out some cough medicine to give to her before settling down beside her to watch the movie.

* * *

Brooke held her hands to her chest as the climax of the movie. Just as the scene cut away into the end credits, she let out a deep sigh and wiped away a few stray tears. 

"That was… amazing!" she announced, "Wow."

She glanced at Lucas who seemed glued to the screen and was facing away from her.

"Didn't you think it was great? Lucas?" she asked. Lucas eventually turned to Brooke.

"It was alright," he said finally.

"Are you okay?" she asked sensing some weirdness in his tone, "Were you crying?" she teased.

"I'm fine. I had something in my eye and then…" he pointed to the screen, "It was pretty sad, okay?"

Brooke laughed, "You cried!"

"Just a little," Lucas insisted, "Can we watch something…manly now?" he asked. Brooke was still laughing when he took the DVD out of the player and put it back in its case.

"Sure, you can watch your _Fast And The Furious_ or whatever testosterone-filled flick you want – but I know the truth," she said proudly.

"If anyone finds out about this…"

"Don't worry," Brooke told him, "They will!" she giggled. Lucas narrowed his eyes at her but shook it off, breaking into his own smile.

"You're sorta crazy, you know that?" he said. Brooke nodded.

"Yup, but that's why people love me," she said. Lucas just laughed, "What do you want to do now?" she questioned.

"What time is it?"

"Almost ten." Brooke replied scowling, "God, time goes so slow," she complained yawning again.

"Want to play a game?" Lucas suggested.

"I thought you wanted to watch a movie," Lucas shrugged, "So, what game?"

"Twister?" he suggested.

"Yes, get the sick girl to play Twister. I'll end up sneezing and losing. Pick again!"

"Monopoly?" Brooke shook her head, "Life? Mousetrap? Hungry Hippos?"

"What are you, four?" Brooke said.

"Fine. Scrabble?" Lucas suggested.

"That sounds fun," Brooke said brightening slightly as she cleared the coffee table for the board game.

* * *

An hour and a half later and Brooke was throwing dictionaries at Lucas. 

"That is so not a word!" she complained. Lucas ducked from the latest dictionary being aimed at him.

"It's more of a word than 'Blahniks',"

"That's a designer."

"But it's not even a word! You can't do that!"

"Well, you can't really expect me to believe that 'eyases' is an actual word." Brooke told him.

"It's in the dictionary, Brooke!" Lucas insisted rapidly turning pages of the Scrabble dictionary to prove it to her.

"I don't want to play this game anymore," she complained.

"You are such a kid," he told her.

"I am not!" she retorted.

"Then prove it. We're going to start another game – we'll just pump it up a notch." Lucas grinned.

"How?"

Lucas said nothing but cleared the board, leaving only three letters on it.

"S. E. Oh my god, this is rude Scrabble!" Brooke said as her eyes widened.

"You up for it?" Lucas asked. Brooke looked at him and grinned.

"Question is, Lucas Scott, are you?" she said as she placed more letters on the board. Lucas' eyes widened this time.

"Brooke Davis, I didn't even know you knew _that_ word!" Brooke giggled.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Lucas," she said simply, "Your turn."

"We could make this _really_ interesting and play str-"

"Not if my life depended on it, Lucas."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm all icky and gross and, quite frankly, it's a little disturbing. What if Karen or Dan came home and saw us?" she told him.

"That's a 'no' then?" Lucas said looking slightly dejected.

"Uh huh," Brooke said, "I mean, normally, it would be quite funny – if there was alcohol involved – but not when I'm feeling like crap." Brooke said.

"So, what you're saying is that in other circumstances, you would do it?" Lucas questioned.

"Maybe."

"Hm. I think I'll hold you to that," Lucas said grinning. Brooke rolled her eyes as she watched the word Lucas was spelling out.

"Stripper. Ha-ha, you're funny," she said shaking her head.

* * *

Karen Scott arrived home early armed with chicken soup. She'd decided to let her friend, Deb, take care of the café while she attended to Brooke. As she put down her bags, she wandered into the living room to see if Brooke was there. 

"Brooke, I'v-" she stopped suddenly as she surveyed the scene in front of her. Lucas and Brooke were sprawled out on the two couches, an abandoned game of Scrabble between them. She sighed at the scene before she bent over to read the words on the Scrabble board.

"Lucas Eugene Scott!" she cried, "Brooke Elizabeth Davis!"

The two quickly awoke.

"Karen? You're home!" Brooke said sleepily, her voice still croaky. Lucas rubbed his eyes.

"What is this?" she asked gesturing to the Scrabble board. Brooke looked down at the board and turned red, casting a look at Lucas.

"We were just playing Scrabble…" Lucas began.

"I can see that, Lucas. In case you weren't aware, there are other words in the English language besides…" she looked for words she could repeat, "…than what you've got here. I'm disappointed in both of you."

"Mom, it was just a bit of fun," Lucas defended.

"Aren't you grounded, Lucas?" Karen said crossing her arms, "I want you in your room and doing your homework… now!" she said. Lucas sighed and got up, stalking off to the confines of his bedroom.

Karen then looked at Brooke and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Karen. He was just trying to make me feel better," she insisted.

"I know. Brooke, but I didn't let you stay home to keep him company. He's being punished and I would appreciate it if you could abide by the rules Dan and I set. I think you should be well enough to go to school tomorrow, don't you?" Karen handed Brooke the chicken soup.

Brooke just nodded and accepted the food gratefully.

"I'm going back to the café, do you want anything?" Brooke shook her head.

"The soup's enough, thanks Karen," she said.

"Just be glad it was me that walked through that door and not Dan," were Karen's parting words as she left the house.

The rest of the day, Brooke and Lucas tried keeping out of each other's way. Brooke managed to shower and get ready in the early afternoon and Lucas spent time in the gym.

However when their paths did meet, they were usually filled with small smiles and sly glances at one another.

Brooke couldn't help but think that this was one of the best sick days she'd ever taken.

**To Be Continued…**


	12. A Slow And Steady Rush

**For anyone who is interested, the URL for the Tangled Web Awards is** **under this links section of my website 'Faithless Innocence' (found in my user info). Just scroll down a little and you'll find a button with James Lafferty (Nathan) - click on it to be directed. won't let me put the URL here. **

**12. A Slow And Steady Rush**

Almost two weeks had passed since Lucas' grounding and Brooke's cold. The two of them were now sitting around the dinner table with Dan and Karen. Dan still hadn't forgiven Lucas fully for getting suspended but the tension in the air had cleared considerably.

Just as long as Lucas didn't get back on Dan's bad side, all would be good.

Brooke played with the peas on her plate. She hated them but Karen always insisted that everything on the plate should be eaten. She spied Lucas smirking at her as he knew that she wasn't a big fan of peas.

"Um, Karen, can I be excused?" Brooke asked.

"Have you eaten everything on your plate?" Karen questioned.

"No, but I had a very big lunch and-"

"If your plate isn't empty, you can't be excused." Karen reminded her.

"I know that, but-"

"Eat your peas, Brooke," Dan piped up. Brooke sighed and silently began eating them, knowing that Lucas would probably be laughing at her. She caught his gaze and saw him struggling not to laugh loudly. She discreetly stuck her tongue out at him.

"So," Dan interrupted, "Your mother and I are going to be visiting your grandparents this weekend. Do you want to join us?" Dan asked Lucas.

"Royal and May?" Dan nodded, "No, thanks. I think I'll do my homework instead," Lucas said.

"How about you, Brooke? I'm sure they'd love to meet you," Dan said. Brooke looked at Dan and then at Lucas who was slowly shaking his head and mouthing 'no' at her.

"I'd love to, but with the Cheer Classic two weeks away, I was thinking of going over the routine a bit more," she explained.

"That's a good idea, Brooke," Dan announced, "I was thinking of keeping the dealership open this weekend-"

"Dan," Karen interrupted, "We are going to see your parents this weekend whether you like it or not. It's either that or they come here," Karen said. She wasn't looking forward to it but knew that it was something they'd have to face sooner or later. Although she wasn't ready to face all the questions about Nathan and Haley, and she knew Dan wasn't ready either.

"Have fun, Dad," Lucas commented, earning him a glare from his father.

"You both will be okay without us, won't you?" Karen asked, concerned. Lucas was eighteen years old but half the time, he acted like his younger brother. And she was afraid of what might happen while they were away. "You will look after each other, right?"

"Of course," Lucas said brightly, "Brooke and I will be fine. All we need is some beer, a little music, some friends, a fire extinguisher…" he joked. This time both his parents glared at him while Brooke stifled a laugh.

"Make sure he doesn't get into trouble," Karen told Brooke.

"Hey, you're giving Brooke all the responsibility? I'm the older one here!" Lucas said a little put out that he wasn't trusted.

"I wonder why that one is, Mr Likes-to-fight," Brooke told Lucas.

"You know, maybe you should come with us," Karen began feeling unsure about leaving the two unattended.

"No, mom! We'll be fine on our own. Believe me." Lucas told them. Brooke nodded.

"Fine, fine. But I'm leaving a list of emergency numbers and we'll call when we get there and when we're on our way home…" Karen began.

"Seriously, mom. We'll be fine," Lucas said with a small smile. Karen looked between Brooke and Lucas and sighed.

"Okay, fine," she said, "But Brooke, you have to eat your peas."

* * *

"Do you know where the emergency money is?" 

"Yup."

"Where Keith's number is?"

"Yup."

"Remember to shut the freezer properly otherwise everything will melt."

"I know, Mom."

"Do you know where the spare key is kept?"

"Yes."

"And to water the plants every day?"

"I know!"

"Don't keep the music too loud or neighbors will complain. I don't want police showing up at the door."

"Yes, okay. Got it."

Lucas literally had to push his mother out of the door and into the car.

"I love you," she said giving him a kiss.

"Mom!" he protested, but upon seeing her disappointed face, he sighed, "Love you too."

"Be good!" she said finally as she and Dan drove out into the night.

Lucas sighed and shut the door, pleased for some freedom. He raised his hands in the air.

"They're gone!" he cried happily. "Brooke! They're gone!" he repeated as Brooke appeared from her room, all dressed up and applying lip gloss. "Where are you going?" he questioned.

"Out."

"With?"

"Peyton. We got invited to a party at Duke," she said proudly.

"Duke? The university?"

"Uh huh," she said, "Don't wait up."

Brooke began to walk past Lucas but he grabbed her arm.

"Hey!"

"You're not going."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you're not. I'm the older one and I say you're not going."

"But it's all planned out."

"I'm not letting you go, Brooke. You're in high school and those guys will try anything to get you into bed."

"Well, I'm not going to do anything. I know what is out there, Lucas. I lived in New York City all my life, remember? Plus, Peyton will be there to look out for me…"

"No!" Lucas told her firmly.

"Urgh! You suck!" she said hitting him with her bag and going towards the front door. Lucas caught up with her again.

"Peyton isn't going."

"What?"

"She called and said she couldn't make it tonight."

"You're lying." Brooke said. Lucas showed her the post-it note next to the phone.

"You just wrote that a minute ago. I'm not falling for that, Luke," she told him.

"That's my mom's handwriting. Look, see?" Brooke sighed.

"How come nobody told me?" she questioned. Lucas shrugged.

"Mom was stressed out about visiting my grandparents. She also forgot to tell me my basketball practice was cancelled." Lucas explained.

"Oh," Brooke said looking slightly dejected, "I guess I'll go change then," she said as she began wondering back to her room. Lucas stopped her again.

"Wait," he said, "How about… how about we go out?" he suggested.

"What?"

"Well, you're all dressed up and stuff so… how about the two of us go out?"

"And where are you going to take me?" Brooke asked.

"Around," he said, "I don't know yet, but I'm sure we can have some fun."

Brooke grinned.

"I have to warn you, Lucas, I'm a pretty expensive date."

"It's a good thing you're paying then!" he quipped. She rolled her eyes as he grabbed his coat, "Come on, let's go." He told her as he took her hand and led her outside.

* * *

"I wish you'd told me we wouldn't be taking the car," Brooke complained as she struggled to keep up with Lucas. "My feet are killing me." 

"Well, you shouldn't have worn those shoes, then," Lucas told her, "They don't look comfortable."

"They're not. But they are cute!" she said.

"It's a nice night, isn't it?" he commented as he continued walking.

"Yeah, it is," she said, "It is quiet too."

"Uh huh," he agreed as he turned to her.

"What?" she asked.

Lucas said nothing but stood in the middle of the road.

"What are you doing?" she asked. He shrugged and continued standing there. "Get out of the road, Lucas." She told him.

He refused.

"Lucas!"

"Come on," he told her.

"I am not playing Chicken!" she told him. "Lucas, get out of the road…please!" her tone began getting more and more urgent as she scanned for any cars that were on their way.

"Nope. You come here!"

Brooke sighed and waked towards him, trying to pull him out of the way but he was too strong for her.

"Lucas, come on. It's not funny!" she said seriously as she released his hand.

Lucas lay down on the road.

"Don't you dare!" she warned him.

"Why not? They did it in _The Notebook_."

"That was a movie and it was 1940! Get up off the floor!" she said again. Getting no reply, Brooke growled and walked away and back onto the pavement. "Fine! See if I care!" she yelled.

She began walking down the road when she heard the sound of an approaching car, she turned back to see a pair of headlights making their way towards Lucas.

"Lucas!" she screamed as the car drove faster towards him and there was no sign of him moving. She raced back to where Lucas was and saw a figure quickly get up and run away, just inches in front of the car.

The car tooted its horn and continued speeding away. Brooke ran up to Lucas, who was out of breath and busying laughing his head off.

"Did you see that?" he asked Brooke, "That was hilarious!"

"What the hell did you do?" Brooke yelled at him. Lucas continued to laugh.

"Relax, it was just a game," he told her. She pushed him backwards and he looked at her, "What was that for?" he asked.

"You could have gotten yourself killed! Don't you realize that? You could have died out there!" she cried in anger.

"Well, I didn't!" He shot back frustrated and stunned by her reaction, "Calm down."

"You don't even care, do you? Lucas, you could have gotten hurt or could have hurt somebody else!" she pushed him again.

"You're crazy," he said as he tried not to retaliate. He began to walk away from her.

"Well, you're stupid, Lucas!" she called after him, "You don't know anything! You're just like Joe!"

Lucas turned around and faced the angry brunette, "Who the hell is Joe?" he questioned.

She caught up with him, "A stupid guy like you, who was playing that stupid game and didn't get out of the stupid way in time!" she pushed him before beginning to pound Lucas' chest as hard as she could. "It was a stupid dare and now he's gone because he didn't hear the stupid car coming!"

She continued to hit his chest until Lucas managed to catch them and prevent her from hitting him further.

"Brooke, calm down. Brooke!" he said over and over again until she subsided into sobs.

"Don't tell me to calm down! I lost one of my best friends because of this idiotic game and I don't want to lose you too!" she screamed through her tears. Lucas looked at her after her emotional revelation and sighed.

"I didn't know…" he said quietly.

"Yeah, well, you do now!" Brooke was borderline hysterical as she tried to get over the events of the last few minutes. It had shaken her up as memories of the past began to catch up with her. "You could have died," she repeated as she hit his chest again.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," Lucas told her.

"Damn right you weren't." she hit him again just for good measure and he caught her hands again.

Lucas looked at her intently, her mascara was running because of her tears, she was bright red from shouting at him, her hair was a mess, and she was still as beautiful as ever.

Without pausing to think, he pulled her close and kissed her on the lips. For a moment it felt like she was returning it but within seconds, she pulled away quickly.

She detached herself from his grasp and put her hand to her mouth before running it through her hair awkwardly.

"Brooke…" Lucas began thinking about apologizing but she cut him off.

"Let's just go home," she said indicating that this would not be discussed here and now. He simply nodded and began following her back to the Scott household.

He walked slightly behind her so as not to crowd her and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He had no idea why he had done what he'd done, but something had come over him and he couldn't help it. For months his feelings for her had turned from resentment to… hell, he couldn't even describe it. Fondness? Adoration? Love?

He gulped at the last one. Lucas Scott didn't fall in love. But whatever it was, there was something about her that made him want to be good enough for her. He would constantly think to himself if she'd approve of the shirt he was wearing, or the book he was reading, or even the music he listened to.

Lucas scratched the back of his head. This was something new, and he wasn't sure how he was going to get through it.

Brooke walked as fast as her legs could carry her. Her heart hadn't stopped beating rapidly since the near-accident. At first she'd been incensed because of his stupidity, then hysterical over her friend's death and now she was nervous and stunned by the kiss.

She wasn't sure what to think. She'd never really honestly thought about being with Lucas. To her, he had been an ass before, but slowly turned into one of her best friends. Maybe in her heart she'd wanted something more but she hadn't thought about it until now.

What the hell were they going to do now?

* * *

Brooke entered the house first and didn't bother holding the door open for Lucas. He managed to catch it before it shut on him and by the time he'd entered the house, she was on her way to her room. 

"Brooke…can we talk about this?" he asked but the sound of her door closing told him it wasn't open for discussion.

Rejected, he went inside his own room and collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling and contemplating further on what had happened.

Almost ten minutes later, he was startled by the sound of the door opening. Brooke walked in. Lucas lifted up his head.

"Brooke?" he questioned as he sat up. "What are you-"

She silenced him with a passionate kiss.

When they pulled apart, he looked up at her questioningly.

"Shut the door," she instructed as she slipped out of her dress.

And he did.

To Be Continued…


	13. We Got Older, But We're Still Young

**Please note; Brooke and Lucas are NOT siblings or related. **

**Chapter Thirteen: We Got Older, But We're Still Young**

Lucas awoke to an empty bed. He reached out to the vacant space next to him and sighed heavily, wondering what the time was. 11 o'clock.

He frowned, he hadn't realised just how late it was. He sat up in bed and thought about the previous night. It had almost been something from a movie. Two bodies melding into one, and raw passion and temptation finally succumbed to.

It had been perfect.

Except this morning, she wasn't lying next to him.

Lucas suddenly became hot and uncomfortable. He fumbled around for bits of his clothing, a pair of boxers and a t-shirt being the first to hand.

Pulling them on, he got up and out of bed, reminding himself to wash his bedsheets later on. Lucas opened the door to the bathroom and came face to face with the woman he'd spent the night with.

"Oh," he said, "I didn't know you were in here."

Brooke offered a small smile as she stood awkwardly with her bath towel wrapped around her body. She'd just exited the shower when he'd come in.

Lucas noted just how tightly she was holding the towel around her, almost as if she was ashamed. He was reminded of the first few weeks when she was new in the house.

He'd accidentally walked in on her and her knuckles had almost turned white from holding the towel around her so tightly.

Lucas looked at her knuckles now.

White.

"It's okay," she said, not meeting his gaze. Lucas hung his head, "I'm almost done."

Lucas took a step backwards, "I'll come back in ten minutes."

"Okay," she said biting her lip nervously as he retreated out of the bathroom, leaving her alone.

Once the door shut, she sighed heavily.

Outside, Lucas leant against the bathroom door and also sighed. Running his hands through his hair in despair, he realized that he may just have ruined almost five months of friendship in one night.

* * *

Brooke, in the comfort of her own bedroom, waited for the faint sound of the shower to start before picking up the phone and dialing a number.

"Peyton Sawyer speaking."

"Peyton? I need your help."

"Calm down, dude. What's wrong?" Peyton asked her distressed friend.

"I don't want to say on the phone. Could you just come here?"

"Sure thing. I'll bring the essentials; tissues, a movie, ice cream and one Haley James-Scott. We'll be there soon," Peyton promised.

"Hurry." Brooke said as her friend hung up.

True to her word, Peyton and Haley arrived fifteen minutes later, armed with their usual 'crisis pack'.

"So, what's the emergency?" Peyton asked as Brooke led the two into her bedroom. She motioned for them to be quiet and listened for the sound of running water.

"He's still in the bathroom, that's good," she said as she sat down on her bed. "You've got to keep your mouths shut, okay?" she told the two. Peyton opened the ice cream tub, while Haley handed them all spoons.

"Okay, he's there thing. Lucas kissed me last night," she told them, turning a bright shade of red. To her surprise, Peyton dug $10 out of her pocket and handed it to Haley.

"It's about time," Haley said.

"Wait, you betted on this?" Brooke asked.

"Well, yeah. We all did."

"Define 'all'," Brooke demanded.

"Just me, Hales, Nathan, Jake." Peyton said.

"And Tim, I think. Maybe Mouth, Skills and Fergie did too." Haley explained.

"How could you do that?"

"No offence, Brooke, but you and Lucas weren't really subtle. Everyone could see you were attracted to each other. We just didn't know it'd take this long," Peyton explained.

"That's not all," Brooke said sheepishly, "I slept with him too."

Haley's eyes widened and she handed back the money to Peyton.

"That's no surprise. Did he call you?" Peyton asked. She'd predicted Lucas would sleep with Brooke the first time anything happened and she'd been right.

"It's not funny, Peyton!" Brooke told her friend. "This is bad. Really, really, really bad. How could I do that?" she asked.

"Okay, let's talk about this rationally. What happened? Step-by-step." Haley asked.

"He took me out last night for dinner, which was really nice. And then he played Chicken and I got pissed at him because he almost died," she faltered, "The next thing I know, he's kissing me. I mean, I stopped it because it got awkward and we went home."

"And then?"

"We went into our own rooms and then the next thing I knew; I was undressing in front of him."

"Oh my god," Haley and Peyton both said. "Brooke, what are we going to do with you?"

"I don't know! That's why you're here."

"I think you make a cute couple." Haley said.

"I agree. You have that Broody/Cheery thing going for you." Peyton agreed.

"I'm sorry, have we entered some bizzaro world where it's okay for me to sleep with my Godbrother?" Brooke asked exasperated.

"Ew, when you put it like that, it sounds weird," Peyton said making a face.

"I'm sorry, Brooke, but once you've shared something like that with a person, you can't ever go back to the way things were. The best you can do is talk about it and see if you can carry on – together or not." Haley told her friend truthfully.

"There is no way I'm talking to him. I can barely even look at him without getting all flustered and embarrassed," Brooke said taking a bite of ice cream.

"Don't worry, it'll get easier," Peyton interjected reassuringly.

"I hope so," Brooke chewed her bottom lip.

"If you don't mind me asking…" Peyton began, "How was it?"

Haley and Peyton looked intently at Brooke who blushed.

"Perfect!" she said as the two girls squealed in delight. Brooke threw pillows at them.

Just then, Lucas knocked on the door and came in. The three girls looked at him.

"Oh hey." He said, "I didn't know you girls were here," he said.

"We're just hanging out," Haley told him. He nodded.

"I'm heading out. Is there anything you want?" he asked. They shook their heads, "Okay, then I'll be with Nate at the Rivercourt."

"Okay," Brooke said as Lucas left. She turned to her friends. "Seriously, what am I going to do?"

* * *

"I slept with Brooke," Lucas said as he threw another ball into the basket.

Nathan and Tim stared at him.

"What did you just say?" Nathan questioned.

"He said that he slept-" Tim began.

"I know what he said, Tim!" Nathan interrupted before turning back to his brother, "How did that happen?"

"Well, uh, we went out. I royally pissed her off, then I kissed her and then… well, we went home and she ended up in my bed."

"Are you kidding me?" Nathan asked. Lucas shook his head. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, man. What was it like?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, cause she's hot," Tim piped up.

"It was…" Lucas searched for the right words to describe it, "Something else. I just… it didn't feel like sex, it felt like something more, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean, man. It's like that with Haley. It's just…"

"Different?" Lucas offered. Nathan nodded, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah," he said before patting his brother on the back, "Congratulations, man," he smiled. Lucas shook his head.

"I've messed up, Nate." Lucas told him. "I've seriously screwed everything up. She's never going to talk to me again!" Lucas began to panic.

"Why?" Nathan asked.

"Probably because he wasn't any good," Tim joked. Lucas punched him on the arm.

"You should have seen her this morning; it was like she didn't want to be anywhere near me. I walked into the bathroom and it was all awkward. She couldn't even look into my eyes. She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, Lucas," Nathan reassured his older brother, "It just takes time. You shared something intimate and sensual, you need to recover from that and ask yourself where you stand. Your whole relationship has changed."

"You've been hanging out with Haley too much," Lucas told Nathan, chuckling to himself and momentarily forgetting about the situation he was in.

"I know," Nathan said, "But seriously. You've got to talk sometime otherwise it'll get too weird." Lucas nodded.

"Thanks, Little Brother," Lucas said hitting his brother's fist with his own. Nathan grinned.

"No problem. Anyway, who thought I'd be the mature one?" he winked.

* * *

Lucas decided to go and face the music a few hours later. He hoped that Peyton and Haley weren't there as he'd prefer it to just be him and Brooke. Upon seeing that Peyton's car was no longer in the drive, Lucas felt sick.

He knew that the talk was inevitable; it was just something he wished he didn't have to do. Talking the morning after was not one of Lucas' strong points and he'd never really needed to do it. He either left whoever's room he was in and forgot about them, or just waited for them to leave on their own and then forgot about them. But this was different. This time there had been actual feelings involved and a person he didn't want to forget about.

As he entered the house, he ran through the rough cut of what he was going to start with and went searching for Brooke.

"Brooke?" he called as he placed his keys on the coffee table. "Are you home?"

As he slipped his coat off, he came face to face with his mother.

"Mom," he said clearly surprised, "What are you doing home?" Karen led Lucas into the living room where Dan and Brooke were sitting with coffee – and Royal and May Scott.

"We decided that they should come here for the weekend," Karen explained. "Say hello to your grandparents." Karen told Lucas.

Lucas managed to squeeze out the greetings and saw how Brooke was purposely avoiding his gaze.

"Where have you been?" Dan asked his son.

"Oh, uh, I was at the Rivercourt with Tim an-" Brooke, Karen and Dan all looked at him, "And…uh, Skills and Mouth." Lucas said quickly.

"Isn't that Tim fellow Nathan's best friend?" Royal asked, not missing a beat. Lucas shifted uncomfortably.

"He's my friend too. Apparently Nathan was working," Lucas covered.

"Isn't it nice that you still are concerned about your brother?" Royal said casting a glace at Dan, "At least some people haven't cut their family ties."

Dan opened his mouth to say something back but Karen interrupted, "So, since Royal and May will be staying with us tonight, I thought that they could have Brooke's room. You don't mind sharing with Lucas, do you? The guest room is being renovated."

Brooke and Lucas looked at each other and Brooke awkwardly nodded her head.

"Of course not," she choked out. "That reminds me, I have some World History that needs to be completed. Do you mind if I go to Peyton's to study? I totally forgot to makes notes and we have this project…" Brooke stood up quickly, excusing herself.

"Sure. Just remember that dinner is at eight," Karen reminded her as Brooke exited the living room as quickly as she could. Lucas could only watch as the brunette left the house and drove off.

So much for their private talk.

* * *

"Who was that on the phone?" Dan asked Karen as she hung up the phone.

"It was Brooke. Apparently it's a big project and due tomorrow. She asked if she could miss dinner and spend the night at Peyton's. It's an all-nighter, apparently," she said.

"You don't believe her?" Dan questioned.

"I would love to give her the benefit of the doubt, but since we came home, she's been acting strange. Did you see the way she acted when I suggested she bunk with Lucas?" Karen sighed, "Something happened while we were away. There seems to be tension in the air."

"So what? There was tension when she first moved in."

"No, this is a different sort of tension."

"Maybe it's because Royal and May are here. They're enough to stress anybody out." Dan commented.

"You're probably right," Karen said, "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes."

Dan kissed his wife and nodded as he watched her retreating form make its way to the dining room.

He poured a glass of wine and watched his son carefully. He seemed distracted, that was obvious, but there seemed to be something else about him.

Something had obviously gone on while he and his wife were gone, and Dan Scott was going to get to the bottom of it.

**To Be Continued….**


	14. A Pocketful Of Nothing

**Thank you all so much for getting me over 200 reviews. You're amazing! I love you. **

**Chapter Fourteen: A Pocketful Of Nothing**

Brooke opened the front door to the Scott mansion. After two days of making excuses to stay at Peyton's, she had finally decided that she'd overstayed her welcome. Peyton had told her to stay as long as she wanted, but Brooke could see that Peyton really wanted to spend time with Jake and have her house back.

Brooke had no other option but to return home and face Lucas and their situation.

"Brooke! You're home," Karen said brightly, "Everything alright?" Brooke forced a smile and nodded.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't realize that it was such a huge project."

"At least you're putting in effort."

"Apparently not enough," Brooke said, "I'm going to head to my room and take a shower. Who else is here?"

"Royal and May left on Monday afternoon, Dan is at the dealership and Lucas is at the Rivercourt," Karen explained. Brooke nodded. "We missed you."

Brooke smiled, "Yeah, again I'm really sorry," she apologized before heading into her room. Closing the door behind her, Brooke let out a big sigh, relieved Lucas wasn't in the vicinity.

"Brooke?" someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Brooke called.

"Karen. Can I come in?" Brooke opened the door for the older woman and allowed her to come in.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I was going to ask you the same question. I've asked myself a few times whether I should talk to you and I don't mean to pry but… were you lying about the reason you stayed at Peyton's?" Karen folded her arms.

"Karen…"

"Brooke, I know I'm not your mother and it's not my place, but I am your legal guardian. Something is definitely different about you lately and you can hide all you want, but sooner or later, the truth has to come out," Karen said. Brooke nodded and sighed.

"Okay, fine. I lied, but I really don't want to talk about it."

"Was it a boy?" Brooke almost wanted to laugh.

"Sort of."

"You know you can talk to me about anything, don't you? I would have thought you knew that by now," Karen said sitting on Brooke's bed. Brooke sat down next to her.

"I do know that, Karen, and thank you. It's just some stupid stuff – it's no problem. I'll get over it soon," Brooke reassured.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Because I've been trying to get it out of Lucas and he won't say anything either. He's different too. Did something happen? Like did you have a fight or something?" Karen asked.

_If only_, Brooke thought to herself.

"Something like that. I don't really want to discuss it," Brooke said, "It'll blow over," she promised.

"Well, if you ever change your mind…" Brooke nodded.

"I will. Thank you." Brooke said. Karen smiled before she left the room.

Brooke wasn't left alone for long, within five minutes; Dan arrived home and immediately went in search for her.

"Nice to see you again," Dan smirked as he stood in the doorway.

"Hey, Dan." Brooke said feeling uneasy, "How was work?" she asked trying to break the ice.

"Interesting. I got a visit from Mr. Sullivan today." Brooke froze.

"Oh."

"You know Mr. Sullivan, don't you? He's your World History teacher. Say, what was that big project that you had to spend two days away on?" he asked.

"Um, the French Revolution," Brooke frantically searched for the first thing that popped into her head. At least she thought she was studying the French Revolution.

Dan thought for a moment, "That is very strange. I was talking to Mr. Sullivan, he likes to be called Mitch actually, and he's a nice guy. Anyway, we were talking about cars and the subject of your project came up in our discussion," Dan paused and looked at Brooke's expression. "Turns out, he can't remember setting you a project to do. Apparently you're not even doing the French Revolution. Isn't that funny?"

"Hilarious," Brooke muttered under her breath.

"I just find it strange that you'd be doing a project on the French Revolution, when you're supposed to be doing Oliver Cromwell and Charles I. And I also find it surprising you left all your World History textbooks here too."

"You were in my room?" Brooke questioned. Dan ignored her.

"Interesting fact about Oliver Cromwell; nobody is sure if he's a villain or a hero. I mean, sure he wanted to make Britain more democratic, but his methods… well, they were brutal. He managed to have Charles I executed; he also ruled three kingdoms without actually being a king."

"What's your point?" Brooke asked.

"I don't have one, actually." Dan mused, "I just thought it was interesting. Maybe you should make notes about that – seeing as you obviously haven't been paying enough attention in class to know the difference between Charles I and Louis XVI." Dan told her.

"Yes, Dan," Brooke said as she gritted her teeth.

"Brooke, I did warn you about lying to me. This is your last chance, got it?" Brooke nodded, "Oh, and Mr. Sullivan expects to see your project on the French Revolution tomorrow morning," Dan grinned as he left the room.

Brooke rolled her eyes and cursed Dan under her breath. With no other choice, she opened her World History textbook and began reading up on the French Revolution.

* * *

"Hey Dad," Lucas said as he entered the house and spied his dad in the living room, "Is Brooke home yet?"

"Yes, but she's busy studying." Dan told his son. "Why, was there something you wanted to talk to her about?"

"Uh… it can wait," Lucas said, "Just something about school. No big deal," Lucas said as he excused himself and began walking down the hall. Dan called him back.

"Lucas, I need to talk to you about something."

"About what?" Lucas asked as he walked back into the living room.

Dan produced a leopard print bra from a bag next to him, "Care to explain this?"

Lucas stared at his father as his stomach lurched, "Do _you _care to explain it? It's a bra, Dad."

"Which was found in your room."

"You were in my room?" Lucas said incredulously, "I told yo-"

"I don't care about that right now, Lucas. Why do you have this in your room? Or is there something you want to tell me about yourself?" Dan shot back.

"Dad…"

"Listen, son, I have no problems with you… sowing your seeds-"

"Oh, Dad! Can we please not talk about this?" Lucas asked feeling suddenly embarrassed.

"I'm just here to warn you that you better be careful. Don't think that I don't see girls going to and from your room at all hours of the night. I know what goes on in my house. _Everything_." Dan emphasized the last word especially.

"Yeah, of course," Lucas said.

"I don't want you to make a mistake that costs you your whole basketball career. One accident and that's it, Lucas. It's over."

"Like what happened to you?" Lucas questioned.

"I'm not proud of what happened, but sometimes mistakes do happen and there's nothing you can do but face up to your responsibilities. I have a nice life here and I don't regret marrying your mother." Dan said. Lucas smirked.

"I was actually talking about that knee injury of yours," he said as he got up, "But nice to know you love me," Lucas rolled his eyes discreetly.

"You know, Lucas," Dan said trying to change the subject from his mistake, "This looks familiar. Where have I seen it before?" he asked looking at the bra. Lucas just shrugged.

"_Victoria's Secret_?" he hazarded much to Dan's lack of amusement. Satisfied to gain the upper hand, Lucas left his father and wondered down the hall to where his and Brooke's rooms were situated.

He pondered speaking to Brooke but something inside him decided against it.

They'd have plenty of time to talk soon.

* * *

Brooke sighed as she pressed 'print'. Basking in the hum of the printer as it got to work, she stretched out, her muscles aching. She'd just written up a fifteen page project on the French Revolution, thanks to Dan Scott, and she was tired.

She rested her eyes for a moment but a knock on the door spoiled it.

"Who's there?" she called, hoping it wasn't Dan or Lucas.

"Karen," came the reply as the door opened.

"Hey, Karen. Is dinner ready yet? I'm starved!" Brooke said. Karen shut the door behind her, "Okay, that's not a good sign." Brooke muttered, "What's going on Karen?" she asked.

Karen looked at the girl.

"I know what happened." Brooke stared at her.

"You do?" she stuffed her hands in her pockets.

"Dan told me everything," Karen explained.

"He did?" Brooke bit her lip, "Listen, I'm sorry for-" she began.

"Oh, you don't have to apologize," Karen interrupted.

"I don't?" Brooke was confused.

"No, it's completely Lucas' fault."

"It is?" Brooke frowned.

"Yes, he should not have brought a girl into this house, especially with us away and you in the next room. He acted completely irresponsibly," Karen said.

"Girl?" Brooke inquired.

"Yes. The one he brought home Saturday night. Isn't that why you were both arguing?" Karen asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Brooke quickly agreed, "Exactly why."

"Well he's being punished appropriately now. You know, you could have told us. You don't have to protect Lucas all the time," Karen told her. Brooke forced a smile.

"Okay."

"Good. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes," Karen smiled. Brooke returned the smile but the moment Karen left, it fell and she sighed.

Lucas was sure to hate her now.

* * *

Due to his grounding, Lucas didn't join the family for dinner that night. Brooke didn't know if she was more disappointed or relieved about that. Either way, she was hoping for some back-up because she was getting glares and smirks from Dan all night.

"Oh Brooke, I almost forgot, that girl Bevin called while you were studying," Dan said suddenly, "There's a problem with your routine for the Cheer Classic."

"What?" Brooke dropped her fork on the table, "W-w-what kind of problem?"

"Oh, something about… the music?" Dan tried to remember.

"What _about _the music?"

"Something like how another two teams are using the same song," Dan said shrugging flippantly. Brooke's eyes widened.

"I have to go," she said jumping out of her seat.

"But you're not finished!" Dan said.

"Forget that!" Brooke retorted.

"Sit down!" Dan instructed. Brooke cast a desperate look at Karen.

"Karen? You were captain of your team. This is important!" she pleaded.

"Dan, she's right. If something was wrong with Lucas' basketball team, you'd move heaven and earth to sort it out," Karen said.

Dan sighed, "Fine. But if you don't win first place…" Brooke thanked them both and ran into her bedroom to get her cheerleading gear, and phone Peyton.

"Peyton?"

"Yes?"

"Is your house free? Of course it is, listen I need you to phone all the cheerleaders and get them down to your place now!" Brooke instructed.

"But I'm on a date."

"And?"

"With Jake."

"So?"

"Brooke, I am on a date with Jake at my house... in my room. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Peyton questioned.

"Yeah, I do, Peyton. But this is for the good of the team. We need to do some major re-thinking of our routine and we have… ten days to do it in!" Brooke said, "Please, Peyton, please?" Brooke asked. She heard a sigh.

"Fine. I'll call them now." Brooke almost squealed with relief.

"Thank you, Peyton. I love you and I will so make it up to you and Jake. Seriously, I'll buy you a ton condoms and whipped cream!" Brooke promised. Peyton chuckled and hung up.

Lucas knocked on Brooke's door.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"To Peyton's," Brooke told him.

"But you just came from there," Lucas reminded her.

"Well, change of plans."

"Brooke, I think we need to talk."

"About what?" Brooke didn't look up at him.

"You know what," Lucas said, "I've been doing som-" Brooke held up a hand to stop him.

"Lucas, can we not do this now?"

"Why not now?" he asked.

"Because I have nine cheerleaders waiting for me," she said.

"Let them wait. We have to talk!"

"No, Lucas! This can't wait. Because some stupid teams chose the same music as we did, we have to find some new music."

"So?"

"So? So we have to rework our whole routine to fit the new music. We have just over a week to do it in or we're not ready for the Classic!" Brooke said trying to find her pom-poms.

"Screw the Classic. This is more important!" Lucas grabbed her arm.

"Get off of me!" Brooke practically yelled, "This is important to me, Lucas. I'm their captain and if we're not perfect at the Classic, it's my fault. No-one can expect less than perfection from me and if I'm not prepared, the team isn't prepared. I don't want to lose because we've worked our butts off these last months and those girls deserve nothing less than first place." Brooke practically yelled.

Lucas clenched his jaw.

"Fine, go to your stupid practice. I hope you lose!" he retorted.

"You are such a child sometimes," Brooke complained.

"Whatever," Lucas said as he left her room, "I just can't believe you're putting pom-poms before me."

"It's not like that," Brooke began feeling slightly guilty.

"Oh, it's exactly like that. Just go, Brooke. You're right, it doesn't matter. What happened wasn't exactly different from any other weekend. You're just another girl," Lucas said, knowing just how much he was hurting her, but her refusal to talk about it was beginning to get on his nerves and he couldn't stop himself.

"Oh yeah?" Brooke said slinging her bag over her shoulder, "Well you're just like every other guy."

"How's that?" Lucas asked. Brooke walked past him.

"Inadequate."

With that, she walked down the hall and out of the front door, leaving a fuming Lucas in her wake.

**To Be Continued…**

**I must warn you, I am purposely keeping Brooke and Lucas apart for a little while (only a little while). They have a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to be on the same wavelength. But just stick with it because things can only go up from here - right?**


	15. Show Me How To Say 'No'

**Chapter Fifteen: Show Me How To Say 'No'**

Karen sighed as she walked past Brooke's room and met Lucas in the hallway.

"Hey, honey," she greeted. Lucas smiled and cast a glace at Brooke's room.

"Is she still in there?" he asked.

The past few days had been a nightmare for all those close to Brooke. Completely going nuts over the Classic that weekend, she was becoming meaner, more determined and less likeable as the days went on.

Either cooped up in her room and rehearsing the routine or rounding up the girls during all possible free time for practice, Brooke was losing friends quicker than flies were dropping.

Karen nodded, "Yup, I only saw her for breakfast this morning. I swear, if I have to hear 'Kung Fu Fighting' again…" she trailed off and Lucas suppressed a smile.

"She's taking this seriously, isn't she?" Karen nodded just as the opening chords of 'Kung Fu Fighting' echoed through the walls. She groaned.

"I'm going to raid the kitchen for some aspirin. If you need me, I'll be in my room… or waiting outside Brooke's room with an axe," she said as she made her way to the kitchen.

Lucas waited momentarily outside her door and though he considered entering, he knew he'd lose more than one body limb. Shaking his head, he decided that he should wait after the Classic to talk to her.

That is if she'd talk to him.

* * *

Brooke surveyed her team-mates with a scrutinising glare. She knew she was unliked at the moment and she'd heard people use the term 'Cheer Nazi' to describe her. It stung a little, but Brooke was certain that after they won, it'll all be worth it.

You had to be cruel to be kind to succeed.

"Theresa!" she said stopping in front of the girl, "Do you exfoliate?"

"No…" the girl began. Peyton grimaced, a fatal mistake. She almost felt sorry for the girl.

"Well start! The judges won't just be looking at our moves, girl. Presentation is everything," Brooke reminded them.

"Peyton," Brooke said as she stood in front of the blonde, "Your posture is terrible. You so need to work on this otherwise we're not going to win."

"Brooke, I'm your best friend, you know that right?" Peyton said.

"And?" Brooke asked.

"So believe me when I tell you that you better calm yourself down because I am seriously considering stuffing pom-poms in your mouth," she told her friend. The other girls sniggered but were silenced with one glare from Brooke.

"Peyton, can I see you for a moment?" Brooke asked leading the girl away from the others before she could protest.

Once out of earshot, Brooke narrowed her eyes, "What the hell was that? Threatening me in front of the team?"

"Brooke, love you girl, but you have got to drop this power-mad act before something happens and we really do lose this competition. I know you want to win, we want to win it too, but we can't do it with your riding us all the time. You're so stressed out, that you're forgetting that this is supposed to be _fun_. You know what 'fun' is right? It's that thing you used to be before someone drove a big, fat stick up your butt." Peyton told her friend truthfully.

"I have to be a bitch because otherwise we'll all slack off, and our routine will be sloppy and we'll forget our spirit fingers! We can't win without the spirit fingers."

"Brooke, thanks to you I've been having dreams about this freakin' routine, okay? Last night I dreamed the opposing team were actually ninjas who we had to fight."

"Really?" Peyton nodded, "Was their routine good?" Brooke asked.

"You know you're crazy, right?" Peyton asked hugging her friend, "Calm down. Take a chill pill, relax and enjoy this weekend – because I'm serious about the pom-pom thing."

Brooke sighed, "Fine, I will _try_ and calm down. But if I see something that needs fixing then I'm going-"

"We got it, Brooke. Believe me!" Peyton interrupted giving her another hug. "Just please don't make me want to hurt you."

The pair walked back to the group of cheerleaders and Peyton nudged Brooke, prompting her to speak.

"Apparently I've been a _little_ harsh," the group chuckled knowingly, "So I promise I will tone it down a little."

Brooke forced a smile.

"But know that if any of you screw up, then what you're going through now isn't going to even compete with what I'll put you through," Brooke threatened, wiping all the smiles off the girls' faces. Peyton's eyes widened and saw the fear etched on their faces.

"Uh, Brooke, how about we go see Haley, okay?" Peyton said pulling her friend away before she could do any more harm.

"What was all that about? I thought you were going to be nice?" Peyton hissed.

"I am going to be nice. A friendly warning never hurt anyone."

"Yeah, well remember that when we're chasing you with pom-poms," Peyton joked as they made their way to where Haley was busy helping to load up the school bus.

"Hey Tutor Wife, Goldilocks here thinks I'm too harsh on the girls. What do you think?"

Haley looked anxiously between Peyton and Brooke.

"I don't know – which answer will allow me to keep my head attached to by body?" she asked. Brooke gave her a look and Peyton laughed.

"Anyway," Brooke shook her head and decided to change the subject, "Are you riding in the bus?" she asked Haley. She nodded.

"Yup. There's nothing like sharing a bus with basketball players and cheerleaders – no offence," Haley said sounded less than amused at the thought.

"In that case, how about you join Peyton and me in my car? We'll make it a girls-only road trip," Brooke suggested.

"You're not riding in the bus?" Haley asked.

"Nope, Whitey said there wasn't any room for my 'cheerleading crap'," Brooke grumbled.

"But that's totally and completely fine," Peyton assured Brooke, "Because then we can have a little road trip. What do you say?" Haley nodded enthusiastically.

"Let me go tell Nathan I'm riding with you," she said as she searched for her husband.

She spotted him talking to some team-mates and Lucas near the bus.

"Hey," she said as she walked up to him. Her snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, proudly showing off his wife.

"Hey, are you ready to get on the bus?" he asked.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Brooke and Peyton are taking Brooke's car and they asked if I wanted in…"

"If you want to go with them, you can, Hales," Nathan smiled. Haley returned the smile.

"Aw, you're the best husband!" she said giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Plus, it'll give me and Luke a chance to gossip about you girls," Haley hit him on the arm.

"More like perv over Tim's copy of PlayBoy. Don't think I didn't see you sneak a peak earlier," she told him feeling slightly envious of the curvaceous bimbo that graced the cover.

"You know that no airbrushed model could ever compete with you," Nathan reassured her. "Go, have fun. I'll catch you on the other side," Nathan said. Haley smiled and gave him a parting kiss.

"Love you," she called.

"Love you too," he said before returning to his brother. "What?" he asked when he saw the look Lucas was giving him.

"Man, you are so whipped," Lucas shook his head as he chuckled. Nathan glowered.

"Whatever, dude, just get on the damn bus," Nathan said as they all piled into the bus.

Lucas sat in the seat behind Nathan and Tim. He put his earphones in his ear and started up his iPod. Glancing out of the window, he spotted Brooke, Haley and Peyton getting into the car, arguing about the music that was going to be played. As the bus started up, the girls turned and waved at the people in the bus and laughed as they sped off ahead.

Lucas sighed, Brooke had seemed to be more relaxed than earlier and he just hoped that this weekend would turn out okay. Nathan turned to his brother and gave him an encouraging smile.

* * *

Brooke, Haley and Peyton waited for the bus to pull in. In their hurry to get to the Classic before the bus, they'd completely forgotten that Whitey had their room information and needed to sign them in. So far, they'd been waiting almost half-an-hour, and spent the time checking out the competition.

"Did you see their uniforms? Ew, which bozo decided green and purple made a good match?" Brooke said as she watched one of the hideously dressed teams walked past. Haley and Peyton laughed. "God, when is that frickin' bus going to get here. I'm hungry!" Brooke complained.

"We told you to stop at that diner we passed," Peyton said as her stomach grumbled.

"Carbs are bad, Peyton, have I taught you nothing?" Brooke said.

"I'm glad I'm not a cheerleader," Haley mused aloud.

"Careful, Tutor Girl, if one of mine pulls out, you're our replacement," Brooke informed her.

"Since when?"

"Since you came with us," Brooke said.

"But I'm… not flexible and I don't know the moves and…" Haley began to panic.

"Calm down. Haley, Brooke is just talking about 'if' someone pulls out. Which they won't because they're all scared of Brooke," Peyton said.

"Yeah, plus we'll teach you the routines. And I'm sure you're flexible, you have to be for the bedroom, or don't you and Nathan do any of that freaky, kinky stuff?" Brooke asked. Haley hit Brooke and blushed.

"That's none of your business," she said.

"That's a no then…" Brooke said as she got another hit from Haley, "Hey! I can't have bruises!" she complained just as their school bus pulled up.

"Finally!" Peyton cried as they went out to meet their fellow classmates.

* * *

Peyton and Brooke entered their room and while Peyton immediately flopped down on a bed, Brooke was busy out on the balcony.

"What are you doing, Brooke?" she asked.

"Checking out the competition. I wonder if anyone has bugged out rooms," she said as she came back inside and swept the room for any suspicious devices.

"You are one crazy girl," Peyton mumbled.

"Well, it's better to be safe. This is going to be fun," Brooke said satisfied that they were in no apparent danger.

"Yeah."

"So what bed do you want?" Brooke asked motioning to the two beds on either side of the room, "Or do you just want the one you're on?"

Peyton get up and winced sheepishly, "Actually Brooke, I'm not going to be sleeping here."

"What?" Brooke cried.

"Nathan is bunking with Haley in hers, and I thought I'd be with Jake in his room."

"So, who does that leave me with?" Brooke asked. Peyton offered a small smile. "Oh no!"

"Sorry, Brooke. It was either him or Tim!"

"I'll take Tim then!" Brooke said.

"Really?" Peyton questioned.

"Well, no – but it's better than Lucas!" Brooke sighed. "When was this decided?"

"Um… two days ago?" Peyton cringed.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Sorry, we figured it'd be safer if we didn't until now," Peyton said.

"Peyton, you know Lucas and I aren't talking."

"Maybe this will give you an opportunity to," Peyton suggested. Brooke gave her a look, "Listen, you both are on separate ends of the room, you both share a house anyway! What is the worst that could happen?"

"I can't believe you did this," Brooke said visibly upset. Peyton hugged her friend.

"I'm sorry, but we were all getting fed-up with this stupid dance you were doing. You have to talk to him, Brooke."

"I know. I just didn't think it'd have to be this weekend." Brooke sighed as their was a knock at the door.

Peyton opened it to reveal Lucas standing awkwardly with his suitcase.

"Hey," he said, "Jake is ready for you," he told Peyton. She nodded as she let Lucas in and took her bags.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed to Brooke as she did so. Brooke just shrugged and turned away.

Peyton gave Lucas an encouraging look as she left the room and the couple alone.

* * *

"So, what bed do you want?" Lucas asked after a ten minute silence. Brooke remained turned away from him and just motioned to the one nearest to her. Lucas nodded and put his stuff on the other bed.

"About what happened that weekend-" Lucas began suddenly.

"Lucas, we don't have to talk about this," Brooke said turning to him in an attempt to stop the conversation there and then.

"Yes, we do, Brooke! If we don't talk about it now, then we'll never talk about it and it'll end up killing us both," Lucas reasoned. Brooke decided he had a valid point and nodded.

"Fine. Where do we start?"

"We had sex," Lucas stated.

"That's a start…" Brooke muttered.

"Look, I know we'd rather avoid this but I'd much rather have my friend back."

"Friend?" Brooke asked.

"Well, yeah. We were friends… _are_ friends," Lucas said.

"Who slept together-"

"I know."

"After you kissed me! This is all your fault, Lucas, unless you kiss all your 'friends'," she said.

"Brooke, that's not it," Lucas told her.

"Than what is it, Lucas? I was perfectly fine with the way we were. Friends. And then you had to go and ruin it all by kissing me!" she yelled.

"Hey, don't try and shift all the blame on me! You're the one who came into my room and began undressing!" Lucas yelled back. Brooke growled.

"Don't try and blame me either, Luke," she sighed as she sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands.

"Look, um, I… I know what happened was kind of sudden. Not just the kiss, but the… everything afterwards. I'm not even sure we took the necessary precautions-" Lucas began uncomfortable about how to approach the subject.

"I took a pill in the morning, so don't worry about it," she told him. Lucas nodded.

"So, what do we do now? Do we go back to being friends or…" Lucas prompted, garnering her attention.

"Or what?" Brooke questioned, curious about where this was leading.

Lucas though seriously about telling her about everything he felt for her. Why he kissed her and how he didn't regret anything except the fallout.

But something inside him prevented him from doing so.

"You know what? I think we should just… carry on as normal. Just go back," he turned away in time to avoid seeing the momentary crestfallen look on her face, which was quickly replaced with a cover.

"Uh, yeah. I think you're right. Normal is good," Brooke said with a nod.

"It's what's best, right?" Lucas said trying to convince himself.

"Of course," Brooke clearer her throat, "I mean, us dating?" she scoffed, "I don't see you as a one-woman man," Lucas merely nodded, "I don't want this trip to be awkward and hard for us," she said.

"Neither do I," he agreed.

"So, we are friends?" Broke asked.

Lucas nodded again, "Just friends."

Brooke broke into a smile, "Phew, I'm glad that's straightened out. I hated having to avoid you all the time. Plus, Dan was creeping me out and always asking me weird questions," she told him.

"Same here."

"So, do you want to go and check out the rest of the hotel? A bunch of us are planning to head out after curfew," Brooke suggested trying to make this easier on both of them.

"Nah, I think I'm just going to hang out here. Maybe find Nathan, Tim and Jake and go practice or something."

"Oh," Brooke didn't try to hide her disappointment, "But I'll see you at dinner, right?" she questioned.

"Maybe," Lucas said evasively, "I'm going to find Tim. I'll see you later," Lucas said as he left in search for his team-mates.

Brooke had expected that redefining their friendship would be a relief and make them more comfortable around each other, but for some reason, it didn't feel all that good.

Suddenly, she felt disappointed and almost guilty.

Although they had agreed to be friends, something told her that nothing would be the same between them again.

**To Be Continued…**


	16. And They Dance Like Spirit In The Night

**This chapter takes some dialogue from 1x17: Spirit In The Night.**

**Chapter Sixteen: And They Dance Like Spirit In The Night**

"Ready? Ok!" a loud blonde cheerleader in a gold and white uniform shouted. Their choice of music began to pump out from the speakers and the group practiced in the middle of the gym.

Haley, Brooke and Peyton watched half-interested before grimacing at their lack of form and their song choice.

"I'm all for diversified choices of music, but are you kidding me?" Peyton said, "No-one can dance to this!" she complained.

"Well we should give them props for trying," Haley said.

"And failing!" Brooke added as she witnessed some of the cheerleaders failing to keep in time. "If I knew the competition was going to be this easy I wouldn't have needed to panic."

"You never know, Brooke, this could just be a decoy to make us think they're really bad and then they're actually really good on the day," Peyton said.

"Yeah, that's a likely story. No-one could purposely be this bad," Brooke replied as they watched the captain ask for the music to stop and begin yelling at her team before throwing her pom-poms on the ground and running off.

"Wow," Haley said, "Poor girl."

"Please tell me I'm nothing like her," Brooke asked her friends.

"No, you're nothing like her," Peyton assured, "You're worse!" Brooke hit her in mock offence.

"Well, well, if it isn't Peyton Sawyer," the voice of Claire Young, captain of the Bear Creek Warriors, said as she and her entourage came up to the three girls. "What happened to your captain? Did she realize how much you sucked?"

"Claire," Peyton said as she stood up, "It's _always _a pleasure to see you again. Meet our new captain, Brooke Davis," she motioned to Brooke, who also stood up. Claire looked Brooke up and down and shook her hand.

"So you're the unlucky chosen one. Ready to be beaten?" she asked. Brooke scoffed.

"Please! You think you're going to beat us in that outfit?"

"This is our uniform, you retard," Claire said.

"I know. By the way, you're stretching it out. But who knows, maybe the baggy, frumpy look is in this year," Brooke said enjoying every minute of this. She'd heard rumors about Claire and the Bear Creek Warriors from the other cheerleaders. The fact that they'd won the last four years annoyed Brooke and she was determined it wouldn't happen on her watch.

"Whatever. We're going to win anyway. The Tree Hill Ravens always lose."

"Not this year. They've got me now." Claire Young and her cheerleaders laughed.

"You think you can beat us? We've won four years in a row, including the prize for Best Choreography. It's already in the bag!" Claire said. Brooke sighed.

"Listen, there's something you might want to know about me. I never lose. Ever. No matter how good _you_ think you are, I'm better so you'd better watch your back," Brooke told them menacingly. Claire said nothing to her.

"Let's go, girls," Claire instructed her group, "Oh, and by the way," she turned to Brooke, "You'd better perfect your loser faces."

"Right back at ya," Brooke said, "Oh wait, you already have."

With a final glare in Brooke's direction, Claire led her team off and away. Brooke rolled her eyes.

"So that's Claire Young?" she asked Peyton. Peyton nodded. "Urgh, I already hate her."

"You did a pretty good job handling her, though," she commended Brooke.

"I feel icky," Brooke said looking at her hand where Claire had shook it, "I think I'm going to grab a shower," she announced, "If there's any cheer emergency, find me, okay?" she asked as she walked back to her room.

Haley looked at Peyton, "What the hell would a 'cheer emergency' be?" Peyton threw an arm around Haley's shoulders.

"Ah, young Haley, you have much to learn."

* * *

Brooke was applying her make-up when rapid knocking on her door startled her. She groaned as she saw the stray line of lipstick that had extended past the designated lip line. Wiping it off with a tissue, Brooke made her way to the front door.

"This better of been worth messing up my make-up for," she said as eight cheerleaders, plus Haley entered her room all at once. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Oh my god, Brooke!" Bevin said grabbing the girl by the arms, "Theresa got sent home."

"What!" Brooke cried.

"She came down with chicken pox or something. Whitey called her a cab because she was too contagious," Bevin explained. "What are we going to do?"

Brooke tried to think of solutions but her mind was filled with panic and dread of having to rework the whole routine – especially since she'd just mellowed out.

"We… we need to redo the routine," Brooke said, causing moans from the group.

"Or…" Peyton said garnering the attention, "We could find a replacement," she suggested.

"Who can we get at such short…" Brooke followed Peyton's eyes to where Haley was standing. Brooke smiled.

"Oh no," Haley said as she noticed the looks she was getting, "I am not a cheerleader. I barely can do a handstand."

"But you promised!"

"No, I didn't. You did!" she protested.

"Come on, Tutor Wife, please? You don't even need to do anything. We'll teach you the routine – we have all night," Brooke pleaded. "Think of how cute you'd look in the uniform and you can totally keep it for when you and Nathan-"

"Brooke!" Haley blushed. "Fine, fine. I'll do it but you owe me and I'm warning you now that it's not going to be pretty." Haley said. Brooke squealed with glee and everyone sighed a collective sigh of relief.

Just then, Lucas entered the room, looking at all the cheerleaders congregated in his room.

"What the hell is going on here?" he asked as she made his way to Brooke. All the other cheerleaders whispered and giggled to themselves at the sight of the school's star player.

"Haley is going to replace Theresa in our line-up," Brooke announced. Haley gave Lucas a small wave.

"Oh, Nate is going to love that." Lucas laughed, "Are you going to practice now?" Brooke nodded. "Okay, well, I'll just grab my wallet and leave you girls alone." Lucas looked around for his wallet.

"Where are you going?" Brooke asked as she handed him his wallet. He thanked her and put it in his pocket.

"Just around. There's an arcade somewhere apparently," Lucas explained. "I'll see you later. Good luck," he said as he made his way out of the door.

"Bye!" Brooke called. Once Lucas was gone, all the other girls turned to face Brooke. "What?" she questioned.

"You already live with him and now you're sharing a room with Lucas?" Bevin said, "Are you sure there's nothing going on?"

"No!" Brooke said a little too quickly, "We're just friends."

"That's one word for it," someone muttered. Brooke glared.

"Okay, are we done or do I have to turn into Cheer Nazi again?" she warned. They gulped and all scattered off to their rooms to get into their practice gear.

Brooke turned to Haley, "Now, Tutor Wife, are you ready? We have a lot riding on this and you've got to really try, okay?"

Haley nodded uncertainly.

"I'll try."

"That's the spirit," Brooke said, "Speaking of; Peyton will show you how to perfect your jazz fingers! Let's go!"

* * *

"Come on, Tutor Wife!" Brooke complained as Haley failed to perfect a move in time to the music, "You're a beat behind everybody else!"

"I'm trying," Haley said as she tried to keep up, "I told you I sucked at this."

"Nobody can suck at memorizing a simple routine. What exactly are you having trouble with?" Brooke asked. Haley watched as the other girls continued dancing to the music and several did some backflips.

"That," she pointed, "There is no way in hell I can do that without breaking my neck," she explained.

Brooke thought for a moment and motioned for Peyton to turn off the music.

"Okay, girls. We're going to rework some moves," she ignored the groans. "Bevin, Claudia, Kelly, Christie and Peyton, you'll all do the backflips, while Joanie, Michelle, Jen, Tutor Wife and I will all go into floor turns," Brooke explained. She then turned to Haley, "Does that work for you?" Haley nodded.

"I guess so," Haley said.

"Okay, let's practice that out. Oh, but the girls doing the floor turns have to go straight into diagonals while the others regroup."

"Uh, what's a diagonal?" Haley asked. Brooke did one for her. "Oh, okay."

"Ready? Ok!" Brooke turned on the music and the group practiced the reworked portion of their routine. Once they were finished, they were greeted with enthusiastic clapping from several of the guys who had turned up to see the girls at practice.

"My wife looks amazing," Nathan said as they came up to the stage. Haley excitedly went to hug her husband. "Having fun?" he asked. Haley shrugged.

"It's good. Hard work though. I thought all you had to do was flick your hair and smile like a bimbo."

"Hey!" Brooke said as she took a sip of water.

"But I'm glad to be proven wrong," Haley said, causing Brooke to smile. Peyton kissed Jake and several of the other cheerleaders went to greet their boyfriends and other friends.

"So, I guess we're taking five then," Brooke said to herself, as she wiped some sweat off her forehead. She caught Lucas' wandering eye looking at her, which was quickly diverted as soon as he noticed. She shook her head and sat down on the stage near him. It seemed she'd have to put in more effort.

"Hey, did you have fun with the guys?" she asked. Lucas nodded.

"Yeah, until we realized that the strip club Tim took us to were holding a Ladies Night," Brooke grinned. "Looks like you've been working hard," Lucas said, glad that it was getting easier to just 'be friends'.

Brooke nodded, "That we are. Your sister-in-law is pretty good. A little raw in places but nothing a little extra coaching can't solve. We should be fine for tomorrow," she said.

"Well, if it isn't the Tree Hill Losers. A little late to be practicing, isn't it?" Claire Young and her troupe came up behind them, "Although I don't see anyone moving. Maybe this will be an easy competition after all," Claire smiled.

Brooke rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest, "Someone must be a little insecure if you're wandering around trying to scope out the competition. Afraid?" she asked.

"Hardly. We just came to wish you guys luck."

"Well, I'd keep it if I were you. You're going to need all the luck you can get," Brooke told her.

"We heard a rumor one of your girls came down with something. Was it herpes or chlamydia? We forget." Claire asked.

"Bite me, Claire," Brooke said sternly.

"Ooh, she's getting feisty. Maybe somebody's getting nervous," Claire told her fellow cheerleaders, "So who's your replacement. Oh wait, let me guess." Claire motioned to where Haley and Nathan were standing. "That one." Claire laughed again. "You might just need that luck," Claire added.

"I think you'd better go," Brooke warned, "Before I get really mad."

"You heard her, girls," she instructed her team, "We'd better go," Claire turned to leave. "Don't forget, Ravens, jazz fingers!" Claire taunted.

"I'll give her a jazz finger," Haley muttered. Claire didn't hear the comment and continued to leave, before turning around for one final insult.

"Oh, and if I were you, I'd get some beauty sleep. Y'all need it, especially your captain," Claire said.

That was it. Something inside Brooke snapped. Screw the cheerleading code of honor, Claire had it coming.

"Let me at her," Brooke said as she lunged towards Claire, only to be grabbed and pulled back by Lucas.

"Easy, Brooke!" he said as he held her over his shoulders to prevent her from getting at Claire. Brooke was kicking and yelling as Claire and her teams smirked as they left the area. "Calm down," Lucas told her.

"Get off of me, Lucas!" she yelled as she began beating him. Lucas had no choice but to let her go and she stood up on the stage, her hair messy and her face red.

The other cheerleaders and players looked at her as if she was crazy. Brooke struggled to regain her breath.

"From the top, girls," she said finally as she grabbed the remote control. "This time I want no mistakes. And no distractions!" she said to Lucas pointedly.

Lucas took it as his cue to leave, followed closely by the other guys, who were all surprised at Brooke's outburst.

"You okay, Brooke?" Peyton asked as she came up to her best friend.

"I will be once I wipe that smirk off Claire Young's face." Brooke muttered. "We're not leaving until we get this right."

* * *

Brooke snuck into her room as quietly as she could. Entering the bathroom, she quickly changed into her pajamas. She was sweaty but fatigued over-powered her and so she decided a shower in the morning would have to suffice.

Once changed, she silently crept into her bed, relishing as her tense muscles began to relax a little once she hit the mattress.

"Hey Brooke," Lucas whispered from the other bed.

"Yeah, Lucas?"

"How was practice?"

"Okay, I guess. I think we're as ready as we'll ever be," Brooke told him. "You're still awake?"

"I was worried about you. You looked a little pissed when we left. Plus, it's pretty late so…"

"You didn't have to stay up."

"I thought you might have forgotten your key," Lucas said.

"Hey, just because I did that once does not mean it happens all the time," Brooke shot back, referring to the one time she had forgotten her key, and so snuck through Lucas' open window in his room to get in.

"Well, we're on the eighth floor so I figured you'd have a hell of a time trying to sneak in through the window," Lucas said. Brooke giggled.

"Thanks Lucas," she said.

"Good luck for tomorrow," he said quietly, "Goodnight Brooke."

"Night Lucas," Brooke said as the two descended into silence and submersed themselves into their dreams.

* * *

Brooke and her Ravens waited for their number to be called. Claire Young and the Bear Creek Warriors had just finished their routine and they were now officially scared.

"Next up, the Tree Hill Ravens, led by Brooke Davis," the announcer spoke. Brooke gulped and stood up, a little shakily.

"Okay, girls, this is it. Now, I know I've worked you all into the ground and we had the unfortunate incident with Theresa. But Claire Young is sitting there with her minions and she's smiling because she thinks she can win this. The only thing better than the Bear Creek Warriors are the Ravens because we can fly. And also, we look pretty damn cute in our uniforms. We have to win, otherwise all this was worth nothing, got it?"

The team nodded and they placed their hands in the middle, "One, two, three…Ravens!" they called as they made their way into the middle of the floor and into their positions.

"The one, and only. Blue, black and white. The best of the best. That's right," they called as their music began to kick in.

Lucas, Jake, Nathan and the team watched proudly as Brooke and the girls did their routine perfectly. The grueling days and hours spent working on it was truly worth it and they all hoped that they'd get the prizes they deserved.

Lucas especially was enthralled in watching Brooke move. Sure, he'd seen her do her cheers before, but there was something else that made it especially exciting to watch. She seemed happy and relaxed and she was giving everything she had into the routine. She was by far the best cheerleader in the arena that day.

Once they finished, the group broke apart and the guys joined the girls as they made their way off the performance stage.

Haley leapt into Nathan's arms happily, while Peyton kissed Jake. Brooke watched as all the girls seemed to have somebody to greet and hug. Lucas came up to her and smiled.

"You did great," he said. She smiled genuinely.

"Thank you," she said.

"No, seriously. You beat the hell out of Claire Young," he commended. Brooke's smile grew bigger.

"Thanks."

"So, are you going to hug me or are we going to stand here like lemons?" he asked. Brooke sighed and hugged Lucas. Even if the hug was a little awkward, she was on a high and she was grateful that he'd been there for her.

"It's not over until the awards," she reminded him as nerves suddenly got a hold of her.

"You'll do fine," he said confidently, gripping her hand for extra assurance.

* * *

Brooke couldn't breathe; they were moments away from finding out the overall winner for the Classic and so far, neither Claire or Brooke's team had been called up.

"And in first place this year, the award for Best Routine, sponsored by Secret is…"

Brooke held her breath as she and her fellow Ravens held each other's hands tightly in anticipation.

"… the Bear Creek Warriors for the fifth year in a row!"

Brooke stood dumbfounded as she tried to come to terms with what had been announced. Suddenly all of her dreams had been dashed. All that work had been for nothing.

Lucas and the guys all shook their heads as they saw the disappointment etched on Brooke's face. They all felt sorry for the cheerleaders as they'd witnessed the amount of rehearsing that had gone on.

"Brooke…" Peyton said as she turned to her friend, "Are you okay?"

"Is it too late to pull a Tonya Harding?" Brooke managed to squeak out as she saw the gleeful look on Claire Young's face.

"We did our best, Brooke. The judges are blind," Haley said.

"And finally, the award for Best Choreography…" the announcer began. Brooke watched as Claire handed her trophy to another girl and edged closer to the announcer, expecting the award.

"Let's go," Brooke said as she turned away. She couldn't bear to see Claire Young hold another trophy over her head.

"Brooke, wait," Haley urged.

"…Brooke Davis, captain and choreographer for the Tree Hill Ravens!"

Everyone cheered loudly from the stands as Brooke realized what it meant. Still in shock, Peyton had to remind Brooke that she had to go up, almost pushing her forwards.

"Brooke, that's you!" she said squealing loudly.

Brooke caught sight of Claire's upset expression and immediately felt better as she went up to collect her reward. Brooke couldn't help but smirk and stick her tongue out at Claire.

Rejoining her group, Brooke screamed in delight at the award, and up in the stands, Lucas cheered louder than he'd ever cheered before.

Brooke turned to the stands and proudly showed off her trophy to the Raven players, catching sight of Lucas, she winked and grinned. Lucas returned the grin.

This had turned out to be a pretty good trip.

**To Be Continued…**


	17. Along The Broken Road

**Chapter Seventeen: Along The Broken Road**

"Look at my shiny trophy," Brooke sang as she and the gang carried their bags to the main lobby of the hotel, "See how it shines!"

Lucas and Peyton exchanged a look as they dumped the bags near the door, "Is she going to be this all the way home?" Peyton asked him. He nodded.

"Unfortunately yes, but look how happy it makes her," he motioned to where Brooke's grin was growing wider and wider as she looked at the trophy and waved it around happily. Peyton raised her eyebrow at Lucas' comment.

"And you care if she's happy or not?" she asked. Lucas frowned.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. Peyton shrugged.

"I don't know. Lately it seems like you're doing everything to put a smile on her face. I know it was rough for a little while after… everything," Peyton said.

"She told you about that, huh?" Lucas looked at the floor, clearly embarrassed.

"She wouldn't be my best friend if she didn't. Why else do you think she camped out at my place for days?" she told him.

Lucas sighed, "I didn't mean for it to get all awkward between us. It just ended up happening."

"Yeah, well, you're friends now, right? And if you're both happy, then it's a good thing," Peyton said. Lucas didn't reply and she cocked her head to the side slightly, "You're not happy, are you?"

"What? No, of course I am." Lucas turned away but Peyton followed him.

"Lucas, I know that we don't know each other very well, but I know a lovelorn look when I see one," she said gently, "And you're probably the type of guy who doesn't get it very often so it's a little obvious. How do you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are you sleeping okay? Have you suddenly lost your appetite? Do you dream about a certain someone who is currently fawning over a trophy? I see the way you look at her. Hell, we _all_ see the way you look at her," Peyton pointed out, "You're in love, dude. Everyone knows it – except her."

Lucas chuckled, "You're crazy. Brooke is just a friend. We're just friends. Nothing more," he said. Peyton sighed.

"Deny it all you want but you're going to drive yourself crazy if you don't tell her. You never know when you might lose her," Peyton said.

Lucas gulped hard, "Like I said, you're crazy." He gave her a look and began walking away.

"Geez, Brooke!" Nathan mumbled, "I know you won and all, but couldn't you carry down your own bags?"

Brooke turned to where Nathan was currently struggling to hold up the two suitcases Brooke had brought with her.

"I had to hold my trophy," she told him before grinning, "Look how shiny it is!" Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. So you told us all when you brought it out to dinner with us," Nathan dumped the bags down. "Are we all done?" he asked.

The group nodded and he sighed as Whitey came down with his own bags.

"Alright kids, everybody grabs their stuff and take it out to the coach. Make sure all you're room keys have been given back to reception and someone will be signing you back onto the bus," he instructed before casting a glance at Brooke. "You're taking your own car, right?"

She nodded, "Yup. We'll follow you."

"Alright, but keep directly behind us and no detours. We're only stopping at one service station on the way," he told her. "Congratulations, by the way," he smiled as he looked at the trophy.

"Thanks Coach," she replied.

"Come on, kids! Let's get moving!" he said as he ushered them out of the hotel.

"Lucas!" she called. Lucas turned around, "Can you please grab my bags and put them in my car?" she asked as she smiled sweetly. He pretended to look annoyed but gave her a slight smirk.

"Fine!" he said as he gathered up her bags.

"Well, well," a voice said from behind Brooke, "Getting your boyfriend to do all the dirty work?"

Brooke turned around to face Claire Young holding her own trophy.

"He's not my boyfriend," Brooke said, "And at least I don't need to hire one from the Yellow Pages."

"Nice trophy," Claire said.

"Thanks. I would say the same about yours but I don't like lying," Brooke told Claire.

"Please, yours is a piece of cheap plastic covered in paint," Claire told her. Peyton, Haley, Nathan, Jake and Lucas all looked at Brooke – hoping she wouldn't explode.

"That may be true, but I won it and at least I don't have to share it with anyone. Whereas… yours will look nice in the trophy cabinet at Bear Creek High. Too bad nobody will ever see that you won it. Mine as my name on it!" she held hers up proudly.

"Whatever!" Claire bit back, realising Brooke had a point.

"Yeah, well. I'll beat you next year too. Bye!" Brooke called as she followed her friends out of the hotel.

* * *

Brooke sat in her car, waiting for the other's to finish putting _her_ bags in _her_ car.

"Uh, Brooke. Any chance you'll be helping us?" Nathan asked. Brooke shook her head.

"Nope, I'm busy," she said.

"Doing what?"

"Admiring my trophy. Did you see it?" she asked as she turned around and thrust the trophy in his face.

"Yes, Brooke, we all saw it. You practically gave it its own seat at dinner." Nathan grumbled.

"Hey. Leave her alone. She's just pleased she got a trophy," Lucas interrupted, annoyed at Nathan's comments. Nathan gave Lucas a look and then shook his head.

"I'll be in the bus," he said. "Take care, girls!" he began to leave before Haley chased after him.

"Wait, Nathan!" she cried, "Don't leave me with Brooke. I can't take a whole journey with her telling me about her trophy," she pleaded just out of Brooke's earshot.

Peyton came running towards them, "Are you going on the bus?" Haley nodded, "Take me too. I love Brooke but there is only so much I can take," she said.

"Are you guys talking about me?" Brooke asked from the car. They all shook their heads, "Good, then get in the car."

"Uh, actually Brooke, Jake wants me to ride with him in the bus," Peyton excused herself.

"Yeah, and Nathan wants me to do the same," Haley said. Brooke frowned.

"So… I'm driving all by myself?" she asked.

"You have your trophy," Nathan said, getting jabbed in the stomach from both Haley and Peyton.

"I'll come with you, Brooke," Lucas said. "We're more or less going to the same place anyway, and if Dad or Mom is there and they see Hales in your car… it's much safer with just us," he reasoned.

There was a momentary silence from all of them before Brooke agreed.

"Okay, but we have to look after the trophy," she said as she waved the trophy again. Lucas nodded and slid into the driver's seat.

"Behave!" Nathan warned the two as he and his wife, along with Peyton boarded the school bus.

* * *

"What are you thinking?" Brooke asked almost thirty minutes into the ride home. They hadn't really been talking, just listening to music and following the bus.

"What?" Lucas asked as he briefly diverted his eyes from the road.

"You have your thinking face on. It's a lot like your brooding face," she commented. Lucas shifted awkwardly as he realized she was now staring at him, "So, what are you thinking about?" she asked.

"I'm thinking I should have gotten on that bus," he said, "Do you know you've made four different songs up about your damn trophy?" Brooke grinned.

"My shiny trophy."

"I had no idea something like that could give you so much joy," he said.

"This is the first thing I won in Tree Hill. It means a lot to me," she told him.

"I guess that makes sense," Lucas said, "The first trophy I won was pretty important to me."

Brooke smiled.

"Hey, do me a favor?" Lucas asked, "My sunglasses are in my bag. Can you get them for me? The sun is in my eyes," he told her, pointing down to his bag. Brooke reached for it and started rummaging through his belongings, finally finding his sunglasses.

"Ooh, shiny!" she announced as she cleaned them for him with her sleeve, "Do you know what else is shiny?"

"Do I even want to ask?" Lucas said.

"My trophy!"

"Oh, man, we have got to hide that from you," he chuckled as Brooke put his sunglasses on him, "Dude! That was my eye!"

"Sorry," she said cringing. She managed to get it on and he gave her a big smile.

"Much better, thank you."

"No problem," she said as she slipped back into her seat. "Are we nearly there yet?" she asked. He chuckled.

"Okay, we are not even going to go there."

"No, seriously. Are we nearly there yet?"

"Brooke!"

"Are we?"

"No!"

"How long do we have left?"

"I don't know, a few hours?"

"Oh. But I need to go."

"Go where?"

"Go _go_."

"Oh. Uh… the service station is about forty-five away."

"I can't wait that long."

"But Whitey told us to keep following the bus."

"He also told us curfew was at 9.30pm but none of us listened."

"Brooke, I have no idea how to get back without the bus."

"Lucas, I _need_ to go!"

"I'll pull over and you can go there."

"Where's there?"

"The bushes."

"Ew, no!"

"Then you're going to have to hold it."

"Lucas! Look there's a service station. Can we please stop?"

"It's not the one Whitey wants to stop at."

"Lucas, I am serious. If you do not stop at this service station I will make the next few hours _very_ uncomfortable for you."

"Do you have a map?"

"Of course I do. That's how I got here in the first place. Can we stop now?"

Lucas sighed and signaled to turn into the service station, watching the bus drive far away. As they parked, Lucas looked at his watch.

"Okay, I'll give you ten minutes. Is that enough time?" Brooke nodded as she got out of the car. "I'll be here!" he yelled to her retreating form.

* * *

It was a full twenty minutes later before Brooke returned.

"What took you so long?" Lucas complained as she got back into the car.

"Well I got hungry so I went and got us some food," she offered him a piece of her Danish pastry. "Want some?"

"No, thanks. I'd rather get back on the road. We're behind everyone," Lucas started up the engine, "Where's your map?"

"In the glove compartment," Brooke said. Lucas reached over and opened it up, ruffling through pieces of paper and make-up.

"It's not here."

"It should be."

"But it's not."

"Look harder."

"Brooke, all that is here is make-up, notes from English and a book…" he read the title, "Is this porn?" he asked with a grin. She gave him a look.

"It's erotica, actually. Put it back." Lucas did so.

"The map isn't here."

"Well, maybe it's in the back seat," Brooke said as she turned around and looked in the back. Less than a minute later, she came back empty-handed.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he saw the look on her face. She chuckled nervously.

"Okay, don't get mad. But…"

"But?"

"I think I might have left it back in the hotel."

"Brooke!" Lucas said before groaning and resting his head on the head rest. "You're really something, aren't you?"

"Well, does that mean we're lost?" she asked guiltily.

"I don't know. The service station might have maps. I'm going to call Nathan and tell him what happened," Lucas said. "My wallet is in my suitcase on the bus. Do you have money?" Brooke gave Lucas another guilty look.

"I kind of spent what I had on the food," she said.

"Please don't let this be happening…" Lucas muttered.

"Come on, Lucas. It's not all bad. We can just make our way back on our own."

"Yeah, and how do you propose that?" Brooke shrugged.

"We ask for directions?"

"Brooke, Tree Hill is a pretty small town. Half these people here are tourists. We're stranded," Lucas told her. "Whitey is going to kill us," he said.

"Lucas, this could be the single best thing that's ever happened to us. Where is your sense of adventure?" Brooke said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Brooke, not to burst your bubble, but we are at a service station, with no money, no map and… you ate the last of the food," he said, "Plus, we have school tomorrow. I'd say we're pretty screwed." Lucas said as he punched in Nathan's number.

Brooke sighed as she waited for Lucas to call Nathan.

"Hey Nathan?"

"Dude, where are you, man? You stopped following us ten minutes ago," Nathan said on the other end.

"Twenty, actually. The thing is we're at-" The line went dead. "Nathan? Nate? Hello? Can you hear me?"

"What's wrong?" Brooke asked Lucas as he began beating his cellphone.

"I just ran out of battery," he said, "Can I use yours?"

Brooke gulped hard, "Funny thing, actually. I left it at home. All my friends were going to be here, I figured there was no point!" she told him. "Sorry."

"This," he said to Brooke as he closed his eyes, "Is just fan-fucking-tastic!"

He groaned as he took the keys out of the ignition and ran his hands through his hair. Brooke watched sheepishly as she realized something.

They were stranded miles from home.

**To Be Continued…**


	18. We Belong Together

**Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out. I left school this week and then I had prom and everything so this had to be put aside for a little while. But now I'm back!**

**Chapter Eighteen: We Belong Together**

After two hours, Brooke and Lucas were still in the car and still had no way of getting home. Lucas had somewhat cooled off and wasn't really mad at Brooke – just tired and trying to figure out ways of getting home. And what Dan would say.

Brooke had also mellowed a little as the excitement of her trophy began to wear off. She gently stroked it and let out a deep sigh.

"I'm bored," she commented.

"So am I."

"Want to play a game?" she suggested as brightly as she could to try and cut the tension. Lucas just rolled his head and gave her a look.

"What do you want to play? 'Let's Find A Way Home'?" he said in a tone of voice that reminded Brooke of his treatment of her when she had first moved in.

"Actually I was thinking 'Truth Or Dare'," she said.

"That is such a girl's game," he complained.

"What else do you suggest? 'I Spy'? Or how about a nice game of 'Chicken' and you can get yourself run-over?" Brooke pouted.

"Fine, fine," Lucas conceded, "We'll play but I'm not doing anything embarrassing or answering anything too personal," he warned.

"Ditto," Brooke said as she shifted in her seat, pleased that they now had something to do. "I'll go first; truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What is the worst dare anyone has ever set you?" she asked.

Lucas thought for a second, "Probably the time when a rival team made me and Nathan walk into a store and buy some stuff," he said.

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"In just our underwear," Lucas finished.

"Oh," Brooke grinned at the mental image, "That must have been…fun?"

"We also had 'Ravens Suck' written on our backs," he chuckled.

"Okay, now me," she said.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

Lucas thought for a moment before a small smile crept onto his lips, "I dare you to go and get a quarter from that guy over there," Lucas pointed to where a youngish-looking guy was walking towards his car.

"Please, I can do that in my sleep," Brooke said with a scoff and ready for the challenge. "One quarter coming up," she got out of the car, her legs grateful to be out of the cramped space, and walked towards him.

She pretended to look through her bag as she 'accidentally' bumped into him and dropped her bag.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," she said as she bent down to pick up her bag. The guy bent down to help her.

"No problem. You're not hurt are you?" he asked as they both stood up straight.

She shook her head and held her hand to her head, "No, I'm just a klutz. I was looking for a quarter but I seem to have left my wallet at home and I need to call my mom cos she's ill and my cell phone is out…" she explained giving him her best puppy-dog eyes.

The man, who was in his early twenties just smiled ad reached into his pocket, handing her some coins – much more than a quarter.

"There you go. There's a payphone inside," he told her, "I'm Brett by the way," he introduced himself.

"Oh thank you," she said taking the money, "I'm Brooke," she shook his hand.

"So, where are you headed?"

"Oh, home. I've been away for the weekend and my mom got ill," she told him. "What about you?"

"I'm on my way back to college. Do you know Duke?" Brooke nodded.

"Wow, you go there?"

"Yeah, I'm in my third year. What about you?" he questioned, enthralled by the brunette standing in front of him.

"Oh, I'm training to be a… nurse," she lied. He looked impressed.

Lucas watched from the car with his jaw clenched. He'd seen the guy give Brooke the money almost five minutes ago but they were still talking to one another.

He frowned as he saw the guy touch Brooke's hand and he threw her head back in laughter as he said something funny. He watched as she gently touched his hand and drew closer to him.

Gulping hard and telling himself it was only part of the dare, he tried to control the jealousy simmering inside him.

He was just moments away from getting out of the car and punching the guy when Brooke waved the guy off and pretended to make her way to the payphones as she waited for Bret to drive off into the distance. Once she was clear, she turned around and went back to her car.

"That was easy," she said with a grin as she gave Lucas the quarter, "I got two dollars fifty-five cents _and_ his number," she told Lucas, who said nothing, "What's the matter with you?" she asked, "You look mad."

"I'm not mad," he told her as he got out of the car.

"Where are you going?" Brooke asked.

"To call my dad and tell him we're running late and to buy a map to get the hell out of here," he told her. "I'll be back in five minutes."

Brooke rolled her eyes. One step forward; two steps back.

* * *

Lucas strolled back to the car almost exactly five minutes later.

"Everything okay?" she asked as he got back in.

"I called Nathan who told Whitey to tell my Dad that we got delayed. I got the map too," he said as he studied it for a little while. "I think I've got it. We're here," he pointed to a place on the map, "And if we follow this route and then merge with this one, we just keep going and we'll be there within the next… hour and a half?" he told her as he looked at his watch, "Just in time for dinner."

She smiled, "I guess we can go then."

Lucas produced a white bag, "We missed lunch," he said, "I managed to grab two donuts."

"How did you manage to do that? We only had two dollars!"

"You're not the only one that can sweet-talk someone, Brooke," he told her as he handed her a donut.

"Oooh, my favorite!" she said as she saw which one it was. Lucas grinned.

"I know."

"So, you still want to play?" Brooke asked. Lucas shrugged. "How about you start?"

"Okay… Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," she said taking a bite of her donut.

Lucas began to think of a question as he bit into his own donut. Brooke giggled and wiped some sugar off his face. When he looked at her, she simply smiled and waited patiently for his question.

He looked down at his donut and suddenly lost his appetite.

"_Have you suddenly lost your appetite?"_

Peyton's earlier words rang in his head.

"_You're in love, dude."_

"Lucas?" Brooke said, "It's not that hard-"

"I don't think it was a mistake," he said finally, cutting her off.

"What wasn't?" she asked.

"That night… two weekends ago. I don't think it was a mistake."

"Lucas, that's not how to play the game," Brooke said as she shifted uncomfortably. "You're supposed to ask me a question and I have to tell the truth."

"Fine. Do you think it was a mistake?" he asked. Brooke closed her eyes, hoping that he'd lay off the subject.

"Lucas, I though we agreed that we were just friends."

"Well, I was thinking about it and realized that maybe we should give 'us' a shot. I know it sounds ridiculous and I've never really been in a relationship with a girl that lasted more than a week – but I think we might actually make it – or at least have some fun," Lucas said sincerely. He'd never really let his guard down like that before and told a girl how he felt.

"And if it doesn't work out?" Brooke said, hating to be the pessimist.

"Then what's new? We go back to the way it was at the beginning and work from there. I don't think we will need to," Lucas said quietly. "We've done the hardest part."

Brooke looked at her donut. She wasn't hungry anymore.

"No more late night parties?"

Lucas shook his head.

"And you'll be nicer?" Lucas chuckled.

"I'm always nice," he said, "To you at least."

Brooke smiled and sighed.

"If Dan or your mom found out…"

"Then we won't tell them. Isn't it more fun that way?" Lucas teased.

"It's more dangerous and I hate having to hide things from either of them. Or our friends, but…" she paused, "Maybe we shouldn't tell anyone. Not yet anyway. I don't want to jinx things," she explained.

"Okay," Lucas agreed. "So… are we doing this?"

Brooke nodded, "Yeah, I guess we are," she smiled.

Lucas couldn't contain his smile as he leant over to place a tender kiss on her lips.

"Let's go home," she said.

Lucas began the engine and the two of them started the long drive home.

**To Be Continued…**


	19. The Start Of Something Good

**Chapter Nineteen: The Start Of Something Good**

As soon as Brooke and Lucas opened the front door to the Scott residence, they were immediately ambushed by Karen, who hugged them tightly.

"Thank goodness you're home," she said as she wrapped her arms around the two at the same time, "I was so worried when Whitey said you were delayed."

Lucas and Brooke both tried their best to gently release themselves out of Mrs. Scott's grip but she was holding them too tightly.

"Uh… Mom?" Lucas began tapping her on the shoulder, "Air would be appreciated right about now," he said. Karen loosened her grip and looked the two.

"So what happened?" she asked as she licked her thumb and proceeded to wipe a stain or mark off Lucas' cheek.

"Mom…" he protested as he made her stop what she was doing, "We're okay, really. We just got a little delayed after we had to make a stop." Lucas said looking accusingly at Brooke.

"I can not control my bodily functions, thank you _very_ much," she said in mock-annoyance.

"Peyton brought by the stuff that was in the bus. It's all been put in your rooms," Karen said as she turned to Brooke, "I heard you won a little something," she said excitedly.

"Oh god…" Lucas said, his eyes widening in horror as Brooke produced the trophy from her bag.

"Look how shiny it is!" Karen gasped.

"I know, isn't it?" Brooke gushed happily, "It is way shiner than the one the Bear Creek Warriors got. Plus, this one is all mine!" she said as she clutched it to her chest.

"Congratulations, Brooke. I knew you could do it," Karen said kissing the young brunette on the cheek.

"I'm going to go get the bags from the car," Lucas announced as he went back outside.

"There you are," Dan Scott's voice said as he appeared in the hallway, "I was getting worried about the two of you," he said. Brooke frowned momentarily but hugged Dan anyway. "Congratulations on the trophy," he said.

Brooke smiled as she showed it off, "Maybe next time you can win both," Dan suggested just as Lucas came in with the bags. "Ah, son," he said.

Lucas looked up, "Hey, Dad," he said. Dan simply looked at him.

"I heard that you lost the game," he said. Lucas cast his eyes to the ground.

"Yeah, Dad, but only by a couple of points," Lucas defended.

Dan chuckled in disbelief, "'Only a couple of points?'" he shook his head, "A 'couple of points' matter to college scouts. And if you think losing by a 'couple of points' is fine, then you're obviously not determined enough," Dan said unimpressed.

"Dan…" Karen warned, "He just got home, save the lecture for later."

Dan held his hands up and backed-off, "All I'm saying is that with a little extra effort, maybe they could have brought home a trophy like Brooke did."

"Whatever," Lucas rolled his eyes, "I'll be in my room," Brooke watched as a dejected Lucas left the group and trudged off to his room with his bags in hand.

"So," Dan said to Brooke, "Where are you going to put your trophy?"

* * *

"Can I come in?" Brooke asked as she opened Lucas' door. He was lying on his bed, throwing a football up in the air and catching it, "Shouldn't that be a basketball?" she questioned. Lucas smiled and stopped what he was doing sitting up on the bed.

Brooke came over to him and stood in front of his bed, her hands nervously stuffed into the back pockets of her jeans.

"I'm sorry about what Dan said to you."

"Forget it," he said, "He's always like that. 'That's not good enough, Lucas!', 'You gotta try harder, Lucas!' I'm used to it," Lucas said. "He seemed pleased for you, though."

Brooke nodded, "Yeah. It makes a change. It's strange going from no parents to two parents. I'm not used to people praising me or grounded me. It's kind of fun though," she said truthfully. Lucas smiled.

"So," he began, "Now that we're 'a couple', what do you think we should do?" he asked pulling Brooke closer to him.

"We're not a couple, Lucas," she told him. Lucas looked surprised.

"We're not?"

"Nope," she said removing his hands from her body, "In order to be a couple, you need to take me out on a date," she grinned.

"Oh right," he said, "Well, where do you want to go?"

Brooke shrugged, "Surprise me."

"Okay."

"But it better not be one of those generic dinner-and-a-movie dates. You're a pretty special guy and I deserve a pretty special date. I mean, we've already slept together so there aren't any expectations. Just… do something that's you."

"Something that's me?" Lucas repeated. Brooke nodded. Lucas got up and moved towards his bookshelf. Picking out one from the middle shelf, he smirked and handed it to Brooke.

"What's this?" she questioned.

"Read the book, tell me what you think and then we'll go out on a date," he told her. Brooke looked at him in disbelief.

"You're giving me a condition?" she questioned incredulously. He nodded. She sighed, "Fine. I like a challenge. I'll see you at dinner," she promised giving him a quick peck on the cheek before she left. "You think of a good date," she said as she left.

* * *

Lucas awoke the next day to find his copy of 'The Winter Of Our Discontent' at his doorstep with a bright yellow Post-It on it. Picking it up, he read the scribbled note.

_My turn_.

Lucas grinned at the message and went back to his room.

* * *

Brooke didn't hear from Lucas all day, and was confused as to whether he'd seen the message or not.

"Hey, Lucas," she said as she knocked on his bedroom door. Lucas put on a hoodie over his t-shirt, "Where are you going?" she asked.

"Out," he told her.

"What about my date?" she asked, a little disappointed. He just gave her a secret smile.

"You'll get it. In about twenty minutes, go into your room. I've left instructions there," he told her.

"Oooh, intriguing," she said. He nodded and began leaving the room.

"I'll see you soon," he said. She nodded.

"See you soon!" she called back.

Brooke fidgeted and impatiently waited for the agonizing twenty minutes to end. She ran around the house, making sure every clock or watch in the house was correct.

"Brooke, are you okay?" Karen asked as the young girl almost knocked her down.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Do you know what time it is?"

"It's almost six thirty, why?" Brooke shook her head.

"No reason. I'm going to go into my room in exactly three minutes, okay? Just tell me when it reaches six thirty."

"Okay," Karen said as Brooke hurried down the hall. Dan watched as Brooke raced past time.

"I thought raising a teenage boy was hard. With teenage girls, you get curling irons, hair straighteners, fashion and gossip magazines lying everywhere, and pop music blasting out from all directions. What is wrong with her today?" Dan asked.

"I think she has a date," Karen said with a smile.

"Really? Any idea who?" Karen shook her head, "Great, now I have to worry about her dating some mysterious guy."

"Brooke's dated before," Karen reminded him.

"Oh yeah, that annoying Felix Tarago. I hope he hasn't come back," Dan shuddered.

"Don't worry, I've heard he's still at military school. This is different," Karen commented.

"So where's Lucas?"

"He went out some time ago," Karen glanced at her watch, "Brooke! It's six thirty!"

"What's happening at six thirty?" Dan questioned. Karen shrugged again as Brooke came whizzing past the two and running into her room, slamming the door shut.

Brooke entered her room and looked around. Nothing jumped out at her or was different – except for a garment lying on her bed.

Brooke read the note that accompanied the black dress.

_Wear this. Tell Mom and Dad you're going to meet some friends. Meet me outside Karen's Café in thirty minutes._

Brooke frowned as she inspected the dress, before pulling out her cellphone and dialing a number.

"Lucas?" she said, "What is this?"

"Brooke, why are you calling me? Did you get the note?"

"Yeah, I did and I have a big problem with it!" she said.

"What kind of problem?"

"The shoes you picked out don't match the dress."

"Uh… what?"

"I can't wear pink shoes with a red dress."

"Then wear red shoes."

"One of the heels broke."

"Then change the dress."

"But you bought me that dress," she said, "I can't not wear it."

"Then… pick out some shoes that go?" Lucas said, "Just meet me where I asked you to at 7pm," he reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah. Can I ask you another question though?"

"What?"

"This place we're going, do I need to straighten my hair? Or does it have to be up?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it does?"

"Brooke. Put on the dress, find some shoes, do whatever girlie things you need to do, I don't care what you do with your hair – just be here."

"Boy, you're really charming."

"Brooke…"

"Okay, okay. I'm coming!" she said, "I'll see you at 7.15."

"Sev-"

"Oops," Brooke said as she hung up, "Seven fifteen it is," she grinned as she began getting ready.

* * *

At seven fifteen, Brooke finally arrived in front of Karen's Café, all dressed up and waiting for Lucas, who was leaning against the wall.

"Finally," he exclaimed, "You're late," he told her.

"I had to get pretty."

"Which you did well," he complimented taking her hand, "Come on," he prompted.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see," he said.

"Oooh, very mysterious," she said as she followed him. "We aren't going to be walking are we?"

"Maybe," he replied cryptically, "Just wait and see."

After a short walk, the two of them arrived at their destination.

"This is the Rivercourt," she noted.

"Yes, it is," he said.

"What are we doing here?"

"I'm going to teach you how to play basketball," he told her. She looked at him.

"What?"

"Basketball. I'm going to teach you."

"Ah, that explains why you're in shorts and a hoodie," she said, "I wish I had gotten the memo," she grumbled looking down at her clothing.

"I am not playing basketballs in heels. I tried looking after a neighbor's kids and I was running after them in Jimmy Choos. Not pleasant," she said.

"That is why," he pulled out a bag from underneath a bench, "I brought you a change of clothes," he said.

"How very thoughtful," Brooke took the bag from him, "Are these my clothes?" she asked.

"Yes, I raided your closet while you were out with Peyton," Lucas confessed.

"Wow, you really planned this through. Oh look, sneakers!" she said happily.

"There's a tree over there," he told her, "Go change. I'll be right here."

Brooke gave him a saucy grin before taking the dress off in front of him and dressing there and then.

"Or you could not," he chuckled in disbelief, "You know, you're not like other girls," he told her.

"You're only just figuring that part out?" she smiled. "Okay," she said once she was ready, "I'm done. Now show me how to throw a basket."

Lucas chuckled, "You mean score a basket?"

"Whatever. I just cheer the players, not the game," she told him as he gave her the basketball.

"Alright, just stand here; bend your knees and your arms slightly. When you release the ball, make sure you follow it through," he instructed as he guided her hands and adjusted her position. "Now, shoot," he said.

Brooke threw the ball up and the two stared in anticipation as the ball hit wide of the mark and bounced off the backboard. Brooke groaned.

"I suck!" she complained.

"Don't worry about it. I never made my first basket either?"

"Really?"

Lucas paused for a few seconds, "Okay, maybe I did but to be fair, it was one of those kiddie ones that were this high," he held it up to about the height of his shoulders. "Just try again."

"What if I don't get it?" she asked.

"Try again," he replied, "And for every one you get in – you get a kiss."

Brooke frowned, "So I guess we won't be making out anytime tonight, then," she said as he half-heartedly threw the ball at the basket. To both their amazement, it actually went in.

"Oh my god!" she said as her face lit up, "Did that go in?"

"Yeah," Lucas grinned, "I knew you had it in you," he said, making good on his promise and giving her a kiss.

When they parted, Brooke grinned, "How about we just cut to the making out?" she said, "I think we'll both score with that," she grinned.

"Sounds good to me," Lucas mumbled as he kissed her again.

**To Be Continued…**

**Yeah, it was a bit of a fluffy chapter. I think we need it after last night's episode.**


	20. The Itch That You Scratch

**Chapter Twenty: The Itch That You Scratch**

"What the hell is Joanna Parks wearing?" Peyton asked as she saw the girl's attire. Haley followed her gaze and frowned.

"Not much by the looks of it," she said, "And since when did Ugg boots come back in fashion?"

"Says she who wears ugly hats," Peyton joked. Haley hit the blonde.

"Hey! I _used _to wear them – and they were cool," Haley defended in mock-offence. "Anyway, you wear those stupid t-shirts with names of bands nobody has ever heard of," Haley replied. Peyton's jaw dropped.

"Haley," Peyton pointed to her t-shirt, "You totally love Dashboard Confessional because I leant you the CD three months ago and you still haven't returned it," Peyton grinned.

Haley rolled her eyes and they fell on Brooke who was contently resting her head on the table with a small smile playing on her lips. Haley nudged Peyton who also looked at their friend that was blissfully ignoring their conversation.

"So, I was thinking we could check out that lingerie store… how about it, Peyton? Just us heading there after school. Maybe pick up some cute wedgies and shop until we drop? An afternoon out at the spa maybe?" Haley suggested, keeping an eye on Brooke to catch her reaction.

The brunette didn't seem to notice.

"Don't you think Brooke is letting herself go a little? She's looking pudgier than usual," Peyton tried.

"Oh totally. She's also got split ends and has really been neglecting her exfoliation," Haley continued.

"Hey!" came an indignant reply, "I can hear you, you know!" Brooke said lifting her head off of the table.

"Sorry, you just seemed out of it," Haley told her. "Is everything okay? You look a little-"

"Happy," Peyton finished, "What's up, dude?"

Brooke tried to hide her smile, "I'm not allowed to be happy now?"

"No, no… it's just you have a… glow," Haley said, "A happy, shiny glow."

"I know that glow," Peyton said, "It's the 'I'm in love with a hot, hot guy and I'm insanely happy' glow."

"I do not have a glow," Brooke insisted but her wide grin proved otherwise.

"Brooke Penelope Davis, we are your best friends and we demand to know who has got you grinning like an idiot," Peyton told her. "Spill it."

"I can't," Brooke told them, "It's a secret."

Both Haley and Peyton gasped in disbelief.

"Does that mean he's ugly?" Peyton asked.

"No!"

"Married?" Haley asked, "It's not Nathan, is it?" she said in mock-concern.

"It's not Nathan."

"Oh, it's Mouth!" Peyton guessed.

"No, if she's that embarrassed, it must be Tim!" Haley added.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "It's not Mouth, it's not Dim – and I am not embarrassed about him. It's just a secret. We're not ready to tell anyone yet," Brooke said.

"So, how long have you been dating this mystery guy?" Peyton asked.

"Three days. He took me out on this fabulous date Monday night – not one of those dinner-and-a-movie dates either – he took me to pl-" Brooke stopped in mid-sentence after realizing that she could give it away easily if she finished it, "He took me out and uh, it was really good. Really good," Brooke said with a smile.

"Wow, sounds like a keeper. So when do we get to meet this mystery guy of yours?" Haley questioned.

"Oh, uh, I don't know," Brooke said as she searched her mind for an excuse, "Anyway, I promised Bevin I'd help her with her History since she was sick yesterday. No going to the spa without me," she told her friends as she scooped up her books and made her way to the library.

"Who do you think it is?" Haley asked Peyton when Brooke entered the main building block. Peyton shrugged.

"No idea, dude, but I really want to know because I haven't ever seen her this happy," Peyton replied.

"Speaking of happy," Haley brightened up as she saw Nathan and Tim making their way towards them. She waved at them and the two boys joined Peyton and Haley. "Hello, hubby," Haley greeted giving her husband a kiss.

"Okay, guys we know you're married, you don't have to be all cutesy all the time," Peyton complained.

"You're only complaining because Jake's visiting his cousins in Savannah with Jenny. He'll be back in two days," Haley said wrapping her arms around Nathan.

Peyton nodded. Jake had left on Friday for a short visit to Savannah and she had been missing both Jake and Jenny, especially since this was the longest they'd spent apart since they'd begun dating.

"Where's Brooke?" Tim asked.

"Since when did you care about Brooke?" Peyton asked. Nathan grinned.

"Tim has a crush," he said. Tim shot his friend a glare as the two girls started oohing and ahhhing .

"Well, we have bad news for you, Tim. Brooke's got herself a guy," Haley said raising her eyebrows.

"Really? Who?" Nathan asked.

"That depends," Peyton turned to Tim, "What were you doing on Monday night?" she asked.

"I was watching my Dad's stack of porn," Tim answered honestly without thinking about it.

"Ew, gross!" Haley said burying her head in her husband's shoulder.

"Too much information, Tim," Nathan said. Tim shrugged.

"So who is it?" Tim asked. Peyton and Haley shook their heads.

"She won't say, but she's got like a spring in her step and glowing so he obviously makes her happy," Peyton said.

"It must be something in the air. Lucas is less broody these days," Nathan commented.

The two girls exchanged glances at one another and gasped. Nathan and Tim frowned.

"What?" Nathan asked, "What did I say?"

"Lucas and Brooke are seeing each other," Peyton said.

"What? No!" Nathan shook his head. "How'd you come up with that theory?"

"Uh, because all the signs are there. Brooke is happy, Lucas is happy. They're obviously doing something happy," Peyton put two and two together.

Nathan still wasn't convinced.

"No, no. There's nothing going on. They agreed to be friends during the Classic and there was all that weird awkwardness going on after they slept together. There is no way that they're dating. Plus, everyone knows that Lucas doesn't date anyone," Nathan pointed out.

"True, but I think Peyton might be right on this one. I mean, you've seen the sparks flying all over the place. Lucas has always carried a torch for her. Even if he didn't admit it at the time, I'd say he's always had a thing for her." Haley said.

"You girls are crazy," Nathan said shaking his head, "Anyway, you'd better pipe down because he's headed our way."

All eyes turned to Lucas who came over to their table.

"Hey guys," he said, "What's going on?"

"They think that you-" Tim was silenced by Peyton's hand covering his mouth.

"Nothing much. What's going on with you?" she quickly asked. Lucas couldn't contain his smile.

"Nothing, just admiring the day. It's really beautiful out, isn't it?" he asked missing the looks the rest of his friends were giving him.

"Where were you Monday night?" Peyton questioned. Lucas' eyes darted back and forth as he looked for a plausible excuse.

"Uh… I was at the Rivercourt. Why?" he asked.

"Oh, no reason," she said with a smile.

"Okay. Anyway, I've got to go help Mouth with his History since he was ill yesterday. Speak to you soon," he said waving them off and going to the main block.

Peyton and Haley looked at each other, and once Lucas was out of earshot, burst into laughter.

"What?" Tim asked the two.

"Brooke is helping Bevin with her History because she was sick."

"So?" Nathan said before it hit him, "Ohhh," he said as he suddenly grinned, "It makes sense now."

"What?" Tim asked.

"Totally!" Peyton said as she laughed, "God, they must think we're stupid."

"Or they might have not realized they used the same excuse," Haley suggested.

"What?" Tim questioned again.

"We are going to have so much fun with this. How long do you think-"

"Three days. She said it herself," Peyton replied.

"What?" Tim's voice became more urgent as he tried to get answers.

"So what should we do? Tell them or just pretend we don't know until they tell us?" Haley asked.

"I don't know. It could be fun to just mess with them a little," Peyton said.

"But that's mean," Haley interjected.

"Guys!" Tim yelled, cutting their plans short, "Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on?" he questioned.

The three looked at each other and burst into more laughter.

* * *

Brooke drummed her fingers on the desk in the empty classroom she'd agreed to meet Lucas in. 

Checking her watch, she cursed him as he was running late as usual.

When the door opened, she jumped up hoping it was Lucas and not some random teacher. Thankfully, it was her blonde haired, blue eyed housemate.

"There you are, do you have any ide-" she began but was cut off by a hard kiss from him.

"I've wanted to do that all day," he grinned once they came up for air. She put her arms around his neck.

"So have I," she replied, "Although you kept me waiting long enough."

"Sorry, babe, but I got caught up with Nathan and everyone," Lucas explained.

"What did they want?" she asked.

"They were wondering where I was Monday night." Brooke pushed him away slightly and gave him a look.

"You didn't tell them did you?"

"Of course not. They're completely clueless," he reassured, pulling her close and giving his new girlfriend a lingering hug.

"Lucas?" she said halfway through the hug.

"Yeah," he whispered.

"Are you smelling my hair?" she frowned as she noticed a deep inhaling of breath as he buried his face in her hair. She heard him gulp and lift his head up.

"Uh… no?" he told her running a hand through his own. She shook her head and gave him a kiss as the bell signifying the end of lunch rang throughout the building.

He moaned as she tried to break apart.

"Lucas," she giggled as he held onto her as tightly as he could.

"No," he whined slightly as she tried to wriggle away, "I haven't been with you long enough."

"I'm going to be late for English."

"You don't need English," he said.

"Lucas, someone could catch us," she said.

"Let them. I don't want to let you go."

"You can see me in a few hours," Brooke reminded him.

"But that will be at dinner, and Mom and Dad are at home, and that means I have to pretend I hate you," Lucas said, "When really, all I want to do is reach over the gigantic table and kiss you."

Brooke scoffed, "Yeah, and I'd love to see what Dan and Karen say about that," she laughed.

The second warning bell rang and Lucas reluctantly let her go, giving her a parting kiss.

"I'll see you at home?" she said as she grabbed her bag from a nearby desk. He nodded and watched her leave, waiting a full five minutes before also leaving the classroom.

* * *

Lucas slowly and quietly opened the door that led to Brooke's bedroom. Walking as softly as he could, he skillfully dodged the various pieces of clothing and magazines strewn across the floor. 

As much as he loved Brooke, she wasn't the tidiest person on the planet.

He could roughly make out her sleeping figure in the early morning light and took a moment to watch her in adoration before climbing in beside her.

She shifted as the extra weight disturbed her from her slumber. She rolled around, whacking Lucas on the nose as she did.

"Ow!" he muttered, waking her up.

"Lucas?" she whispered, "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Looking at beautiful girlfriend before I have to go on my 6am run," he told her, "I didn't know I'd get a broken nose in the process."

"Sorry," Brooke apologized, "You just scared me, that's all. No damage I hope."

"Nah," Lucas replied, "Just a little bruise."

"I'd kiss it better but I have morning breath and-" Brooke began but was cut of by a kiss from Lucas, "You know, you really have to warn me before you do that. I'm starting to think that you don't like me talking."

Lucas smiled, "I just love kissing you," he said.

"Can't argue with that," Brooke said leaning in for another kiss. However, she didn't know that Lucas was teetering on the edge of her bed. As she leant closer, he leant back slightly – rolling directly off the bed and making a loud thump as he hit the floor.

"Lucas!" Brooke whispered harshly, "Are you okay?" she peered over the edge of the bed where Lucas was groaning in pain and rubbing his head.

"Ow!" he moaned as Brooke began to help him up – that was until Brooke heard her name being called from the hallway. Lucas scrambled towards the bathroom as fast as he could and Brooke settled back into her bed.

A disheveled looking Dan and Karen entered her room.

"Are you okay?" they asked Brooke. She nodded. "We heard a noise and thought someone was trying to break in," Karen said.

"Oh, no. I hit a button on the remote control and accidentally turned the TV on. I'm fine," Brooke lied.

"Oh, okay," Karen said breathing a sigh or relief. "Well, Dan and I have to get up anyway."

Dan wasn't as convinced as he made his way to the bathroom door.

'_Please don't let Lucas be in there.'_ Brooke silently begged.

Fortunately for her, Lucas came out of his bedroom door and peered in.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We heard a noise but it ended up being the TV," Karen told him, "Are you going for your run?"

Lucas nodded, "Yup. I was just heading out now," he said with a smile.

Dan looked between Brooke and Lucas and just nodded.

"Well, you'd better get a move on, son. You have to fit in a good five or so miles before school," Dan said.

"Come on, Dan. Let's leave Brooke alone. I'm sure she doesn't need all of us crowding her bedroom," Karen said, ushering her husband out.

Once the two adults had gone, Lucas gave Brooke a wink before shutting her bedroom door.

Brooke collapsed back on the bed, savoring the last few minutes before she had to get ready for school by dreaming of Lucas Scott.

**To Be Continued…**

**Yup, another fluffy chapter. I re-watched the finale and it depressed me.**

**And a big shout-out to the L/P Haters from FanForum. I'm sure you got the little joke in there! -sniffs hair and squints-**


	21. This Could Be Different

**Chapter Twenty-One: This Could Be Different**

Peyton, Haley and Nathan congregated in a corner shortly before school began. In hushed tones, Peyton relayed their plan.

"Okay, remember that you try and distract Brooke, while I shamelessly, but harmlessly, flirt with Lucas. But you have to make sure Brooke can see what's going on and check her reaction," Peyton told them.

"This is going to turn into some crazy episode of 'Friends' isn't it?" Haley commented, uncomfortable with the proposed plans, "I just don't see why we can't ask them or wait until they tell us. All this secret planning makes me feel mean," she added.

"Come on, Haley, it's just a bit of fun. No harm done, I promise," Peyton said.

"You guys better hush up," Nathan said, "They just pulled in," He pointed in the direction of the school parking lot where Lucas' car came into view. Brooke got out first and checked her appearance in the wing mirror before noticing her friends standing in the corner. She gave them a quick wave before turning to Lucas.

The two talked briefly with one another, always separated by the large car and giving no indication that their relationship was more than a friendship.

Even though they both walked in the same direction – towards their group of friends – they didn't hold hands or walk in too close a proximity to one another.

It just looked normal.

"Maybe we were wrong," Haley stated as she looked at their body language. They were a safe distance apart from one another and didn't even seem to be talking as they walked.

"Or maybe they're just really good at keeping it a secret," Nathan replied.

While the three finalized their plans, Brooke and Lucas were stopped by Tim.

"Hey Tim," they greeted, "What's up?" Lucas asked.

"Coach cancelled practice today," Tim said.

"Oh, okay. Thanks for the heads-up," Lucas patted Tim on the shoulder and began walking away, Brooke following behind.

"Are you together?" Tim asked, causing the two to stop dead in the tracks. They slowly turned to face Tim.

"What?" Brooke asked, hoping she'd misheard.

"Nathan and the two girls seem to think you and Lucas are together," Tim explained.

"They do, do they?" Brooke whipped her head around to look at the three.

"Are you?" Tim asked again. Lucas sighed.

"Yeah, we are. But, Tim, you can't tell anyone," he confessed.

"Alright!" My man, Lucas is winin' and dinin' Broo-"

"Just call it 'dating', Tim," Lucas said, "But remember, you can't tell _anyone_," he repeated.

Tim walked off in high spirits and Brooke shook her head.

"I give it half a day before it's all over school," she commented. Lucas shrugged.

"Let them. It's not like we're ashamed of it," he said.

"I know – I just don't want it to get back to your parents," Brooke said as they continued their journey to their friends.

"They won't," Lucas reassured, "Don't worry," he gave her a quick encouraging smile which faded as soon as they reached their friends.

"Hey guys," Peyton greeted happily, "How ar-"

"We know, you know," Brooke cut her off, crossing her arms.

"Know what?" Nathan tried to feign ignorance but Brooke and Lucas just gave them a look.

"Oh, thank god," Haley breathed a loud sigh of relief.

"Haley!" Peyton hissed.

"Sorry, it was just killing me. I think you both make a great couple," she said to Brooke and Lucas, giving them both a hug.

Nathan was the next to sigh in relief and give up the charade, "Yeah, I agree. Although you didn't have to keep it a secret from us," he said.

"Thanks, but it won't be a secret for long. We told Tim."

"You told Tim before you told us?" Peyton asked.

"Sorry, he kind of blindsided us. We had no choice," Brooke apologized.

"Do you want me to do some damage control?" Nathan offered. Lucas shook his head.

"Nah, I think we're ready to go public," Lucas said putting an arm around Brooke.

"Well, semi-public," Brooke said, "We haven't told Karen or Dan yet."

"I don't blame you," Nathan said, "Although you never know. They seem to love Brooke."

"Yeah, until I tell them I'm 'having my way' with their eldest son," Brooke said, which caused a few raised eyebrows. Thankfully, before anymore questions could be asked, the bell rang throughout the school grounds and the five friends gathered their belongings and prepared to go their separate ways.

"Hey," Lucas said catching Brooke's arm, "I can do this now," he said with a grin as he pressed a tender kiss to her lips. She returned the smile.

"Urgh," Nathan complained, "You guys aren't going to be all cutesy and lovey-dovey now are you?"

"What? Like you and Tutor Wife are all the time?" Brooke asked.

"We are not like that all the time," Nathan replied just as his wife licked her thumb and wiped a smudge off his face. Nathan gave her a look.

"What?" Haley asked, "You had lipstick smudges!"

Brooke just grinned and walked away from the group, arm in arm with Peyton and Haley. Lucas watched her go and sighed happily as he turned to his brother.

"What?" he asked. Nathan just shook his head.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, big brother," Nathan said, "Now it's going to be romantic dinners, noticing all her outfits, and listening to her gossip about your love life with Hales and Peyton. Don't forget that you probably can't go to every single party and that even if you look at another girl, she'll rip your head off," Nathan continued.

Lucas shook his head, "So what? It's worth it, right?" Nathan sighed and acquiesced.

"Yeah," he said putting an arm around Lucas' neck, "It's so totally worth it."

The two brothers watched as the women in their lives walked off into the distance.

* * *

Brooke entered the Scott household still dressed in her cheerleading uniform. Although practice was cancelled for the basketball team, cheerleading practice had gone on as usual.

Collapsing on the nearby couch, Brooke closed her eyes for a mere few seconds before she was awakened by a weight pressing down on her.

"Ow…" she complained as she reluctantly opened them to find her boyfriend almost lying on top on her. He kissed her nose as she gave him a lazy grin.

"Did cheerleading tire you out?" he asked.

"No…" Brooke said rubbing her eyes, "The constant questioning and the 'Oh my gawd, you're dating Lucas Scott!'s tired me out," she said doing her idle impression of the teenage girl screams that echoed through her mind.

"Well, I hope you're not too tired," Lucas nuzzled her neck, "Mom and Dad are still out," he said with a grin.

"You really cannot be serious," she said suppressing a smile, "I've just come home from practice and I'm still in my uniform," she protested.

"I don't mind," he said, "I like cheerleaders."

"I bet you do," she remarked. "I'm all sweaty."

"We can take a shower," he suggested.

"Is there any part of your brain that isn't in the gutter?" Lucas though for a moment and shook his head.

"Lucas…" she began trying to push him off her so she could sit up. He did get up for a moment but that was only to turn on some loud music before returning to his previous position of lying on top of her while he kissed her.

Although Brooke had been complaining before, she quickly relaxed and the two new lovebirds got caught up in each other.

They were so caught up in one another and the music that was blaring through the stereo, that they didn't hear the front door click open, or the words that followed as Karen Scott walked through the hallway.

"Lucas, how many times have I told you to keep your mus-" Karen stopped as she saw the two teenagers on the couch. They didn't seem to notice her until Brooke spied her Godmother out of the corner of her eye.

Panicking, she pulled herself out of Lucas' grasp and started to sit up. Lucas began to protest and pull her back down, but Brooke gestured towards his mother, who was still in a state of shock.

Once the teens had realized she was there, they jumped apart as if they were on fire and sat on opposite ends of the couch.

"Karen," Brooke said, straightening out her uniform. "You're home."

"Yes, Brooke, I am home. What in the world is going on?" she asked looking between the two.

"Uh, Mom, don't freak out but there is a really good explanation for this."

"Well, there'd better be. How long as this been going on?" she questioned.

"Just a few days," Brooke said. "We're kind of… dating," Brooke cringed wondering what her reaction would be.

"Dating?" Karen repeated looking at Lucas, "But I… I could have sworn you both weren't even on the best of terms and that was last week!"

"Well…" Brooke began, "We kind of put that past us."

"I can see," Karen said sighing as she ran a hand through her hair, "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to see this when I got home."

She hesitated before speaking again.

"Okay, let me go unload these groceries and then we'll talk," she said.

"Uh, do you want us to help?" Brooke asked.

"No, no!" Karen said quickly, "I think it'll be best if you both stay there. Just sit… far apart," she said as she retreated into the safety of her kitchen.

Karen Scott was normally a level headed woman. It took a lot to anger her, but right now, she wasn't sure what to think.

When she'd pulled up to the house, she'd known what was going to happen.

She would greet whoever was in the household, unload the groceries, ask what the kids wanted for dinner, tell them to do their homework first if either of them wanted to go out, call Dan and ask him what time he was due home, cook dinner, serve, do the dishes, relax and then sleep.

Evan walking into the house, the plans had remained the same. Except she'd have to yell at Lucas to turn his music down and maybe get some attitude back; but other than that…

She hadn't felt this confused since her youngest son had arrived home in the early hours on the morning along with a gold band on his finger and Haley James-Scott.

However, she had acted like a mediator between the newlyweds and her own husband, who'd promptly cast Nathan out of the house and soon afterwards, he'd revealed his petition for emancipation and put an end to Dan's preliminary attempts to get the marriage annulled.

But now she was on her own. Dan wasn't in the house and she had two horny teenagers in her living room and who had just been all over each other moments previously.

Karen began slowly unloading her groceries and thinking about what to do about the situation.

Should she wait until Dan came home?

She shook her head as she knew that Dan would probably blow a gasket and she didn't want that.

_For God's sakes_, she chastised herself, they were only _dating_. They weren't making plans to get married.

Yet.

She gulped hard.

But then again, maybe it would all work out. Dan liked Brooke enough.

Lucas and Brooke were only a few feet away from each other at night. Who knows what they could be getting up to?

Plus, they shared a bathroom.

Karen frowned.

She'd have to talk to them about that. Lay down some ground rules. If they had any shred of respect for her, they'd abide by them.

As she placed the celery and tomatoes in the salad box, she sighed and patted her hair down. Taking a deep breath, she exited the kitchen and prepared to face the two.

* * *

Karen sat opposite Brooke and Lucas, who sat on either end of the couch – leaving as much space as they could between them.

"I have no problem with you both dating," Karen said to the relief of the teenagers.

"That is such a-" Brooke began but Karen stopped her.

"However, there are some ground rules that we're going to have to go over." Karen said.

"Of course."

"Number one; there will be no making-out, spooning, fondling, or getting to ANY bases while no adults are in the house," Karen began.

"Okay."

"Two; your bedroom doors will remain open if you both are in the same bedroom. You will both sleep _alone_, but in the event that you both are sharing a bed, one of you will be above the covers and fully clothed, with one leg touching the ground."

"Mom…"

"Three; curfews will remain unchanged. 10.30pm on school nights, midnight on weekends. Four; Only one of you in the bathroom at a time. Five; I will not say anything to Dan about your relationship, that is up to you. However, I do not like keeping secrets and so if he does ask me if anything is going on, I will not lie." Karen continued. "Got it?"

They both nodded, grateful she was supportive of their new relationship.

"Okay, well, I think I'm going to go and start the dinner or something. Are either of you hungry?"

"Actually, Karen, I'm tired. I think I'm going to take a nap. It's been a long day," Brooke said as she yawned.

"Okay, Brooke. I'll wake you up for dinner," Karen replied. Brooke got up and began going to her room.

"I think I'm a little tired too," Lucas began, faking a yawn. Karen gave him a look and Lucas sighed, "Actually, you know what? I'm not that tired."

Karen smiled, "Good, then you can help me make the salad," she told him, pulling her eldest son away from his girlfriend and into the kitchen.

"Thanks for being so cool about this, Mom," Lucas said as he chopped the tomatoes. "I know it was a shock to find out like that but I'm glad you're okay about it."

Karen gave him a small smile, "Well, it would have been nice to be told about it instead of seeing… hands in places they shouldn't be."

Lucas chuckled and apologized.

"I don't have to tell you that Brooke is a great girl. She also deserves happiness. Her parents have never been there for her and I don't want her to be treated badly."

"I know, Mom," Lucas said.

"I also know that you're not the dating type so this is both kind of heartening and worrying. I'm glad you're finally getting your act together but, Lucas, I swear to you if you hurt her you will not hear the end of it."

"What makes you think I'll hurt her?" Lucas questioned. "It's nice to see you have a lot of faith in me."

"Lucas, I love you but unfortunately you inherited a lot of your father's traits. You get bored easily and I don't want to have to see Brooke's heart broken." Karen told him truthfully. "I know you like to have freedom."

"Mom, believe me when I tell you that this is different. Brooke isn't like any other girl. She makes me laugh, she's not afraid to be herself. This is different. She's different. She makes me want to be different." Lucas said smiling.

"I hope so, Lucas," Karen said, "I hope so."

**To Be Continued…**


	22. Even All The Sad Songs Ain’t So Sad

_Big thanks to my dearest Kels for helping me clear up some details about applying to college in the USA. It's different to ol' England._

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Even All The Sad Songs Ain't So Sad**

* * *

"You had sex in a stranger's hot tub?" Nathan repeated for the umpteenth time.

"Yes," Lucas laughed as she tossed the basketball at the basket. It went in easily.

"It seems to have improved your game," Nathan noted, "Or is that just happiness?"

"A bit of both, little brother. A bit of both," Lucas replied.

"Damn," Nathan said, still in disbelief, "Maybe I should try doing that." He seemed to go off into his own little fantasy world.

"Hey," Lucas said, "Stop fantasizing about Brooke in a hot tub."

"Who says I wasn't fantasizing about Haley in a hot tub?" Nathan quizzed.

"Man, I have to tell you. I'm crazy in love with that girl. I feel like doing a Tom Cruise on Oprah and screaming at the top of my lungs."

"You watch Oprah?" Nathan asked. Lucas shrugged his comment off.

"Seriously, she makes me want to do all these crazy things. I just want to be with her all the time."

"Boy, it's going to be tough when you go off to college in a few months," Nathan said, but he noticed Lucas' sudden sullen expression.

"We haven't actually talked about that yet," Lucas said bouncing the ball on the ground, "I don't even know what college I'm going to yet. I hadn't even thought about it." He shook his head as he realized he hadn't been paying much attention to his future.

"Well, it's going to be soon," Nathan reminded him, "If you don't talk about it now…"

"Geez, now I wish I was your age. Half the time I forget I'm eighteen and the rest of you are all sixteen." Lucas dropped the ball and sat down on the ground.

"Hey, come on. You don't know what'll happen. Maybe you'll go to a college close to home and there are always weekend visits. Plus, it'll be easier for you and Brooke to spend time together, and Haley and me to visit without Dad knowing. I didn't mean to bum you out." Nathan apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Let's forget it and talk about something else," Lucas got up off the ground and Nathan passed the ball to him.

"Dude," Nathan said suddenly, "You watch Oprah?"

* * *

"Broody!" Brooke called as she entered his room. "Guess what time it's almost!"

"Uh…" Lucas thought for a moment. He was sure it wasn't her birthday or any type of anniversary.

Or was it?

Lucas gulped, "Uh… happy anniversary!" he said with a grin and giving her a kiss. "I didn't forget," he promised.

"What are you doing?" she asked, "What anniversary? We've only been dating for twelve days."

"I knew that. I was just testing _you_," Lucas said a little embarrassed. She shook her head and sighed.

"Anyway," she said, "Like I was saying. It is almost Christmas. And it's my first Christmas here, which means it's going to be extra special!" Brooke enthused.

"You've been here that long already?" Lucas asked, "Wow, I didn't realize."

"Yup, and since I'm not quite up on the Scott traditions, you're going to have to educate me." Brooke sat down on his bed with a notepad and pen. He laughed.

"Brooke, we don't really have traditions," he said as he sat down next to her, "Well, Nate and I used to go ice skating with our parents, but it's safe to say we don't do that any more. We are allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve, but the rest have to wait until after we've had showers and had breakfast. My dad likes to have us all looking our best for our photo opportunities," Lucas explained.

"Really? What a buzz-kill," Brooke pouted, "I don't have to do that, do I?"

"You do if you want to be alive to ring in the New Year," Lucas told her. "What traditions are you bringing over?"

Brooke sighed, "Well, my parents used to go to an exotic location to spend Christmas. I used to go with them but the last few years I spent it alone in New York."

"That's kind of sad."

"Are you kidding me?" Brooke said facing him, "My parents left me with their credit cards. Plus, I had no silly rules like yours on Christmas Day. I opened my presents when I wanted to. But that's not really going to happen this year since my parents traded in the Bahamas for jail and a rehab."

"At least you get to spent Christmas with me," Lucas said grinning. "Are we exchanging presents?"

Brooke hit him on the head, "Do you even have to ask? Of course we are! I've already got yours," she said cryptically, "And before you ask, I am not accepting 'sex coupons' from you. I want a _real_ present. One with a lot of thought and meaning behind it. Also, a very hefty price tag," Brooke said.

"Don't worry," Lucas said, "I've already got it planned. Kind of."

"Good," she said, "Now, what do I buy Nathan and Tutor Wife? How about a toaster?"

"Why a toaster?" Lucas asked.

"Because I kind of broke theirs last week when I went over," she cringed and Lucas laughed.

"Okay, a toaster for Nathan and Hales." Lucas said. "Hey, I have an idea."

"What?" Brooke asked as she wrote down 'toaster' next to Nathan and Haley's name.

"Why don't we buy presents… as a couple?" Brooke cocked her head to the side as she contemplated it.

"You mean… making it more public than it already is?" Brooke questioned. Lucas nodded.

"Yeah, I mean we more or less hang around with the same people. Obviously we won't do the same for Mom and Dad but for everyone else, it might be nice." Lucas said. Brooke smiled.

"Okay," she said, "We'll buy presents as a couple. Does this mean we're going Christmas shopping together?" she asked. Lucas groaned.

"Can't we shop online?" Brooke shook her head.

"Come on, Broody. Let's get our butts to the mall."

* * *

Four hours of shopping later, and they'd finally bought all that they needed to buy.

"I can't believe we bought stuff for all the cheerleaders."

"Hey, I'm the captain. I need to reward them, especially since I got a trophy out of it," Brooke said linking arms with him.

"Yeah, but do they really need a present from me?"

"Well we bought the whole basketball team presents."

"And they're totally going to kick my ass for that," Lucas said, "They don't need personalized caps, believe me!"

"Too late now, Broody. It's non-refundable. Plus, I'm sure they'll love them really."

"If you say so," Lucas said. "So, to recap we bought Peyton some rare vinyls, Nathan and Haley got a toaster and a blender – since you broke that too, the basketball and cheerleading teams are sorted. We got Mom a pair of Jimmy Choos, and my Dad some brandy. Is that it?"

Brooke nodded, "Yup. I think we're done."

"What about your parents?" Lucas asked, "Don't you want to buy them something?"

"Oh sure, I was thinking of baking a file into a cake to send to my dad. And I'm sure my mom would appreciate the brandy." Brooke tried to joke.

"Brooke…"

"Leave it, Lucas. I don't want to send them anything. I know that I probably should but honestly, I haven't really given them that much thought since I moved here. I don't know why I should when in previous years; they didn't give a crap about me!"

Lucas sighed, realizing that it was probably no use, "Okay. Let's just put these in the car and go home, okay? I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Brooke said before plastering a smile on her face. "Come on, let's go check out what's playing at the Megaplex," she said.

* * *

Lucas checked to see if the coast was clear. Brooke had gone to have a shower ten minutes before and Lucas knew he had a few minutes to do what he had to.

Logging onto his computer, he quickly went online and surfed around for a little while before hitting onto his desired site.

He dialed the number on the screen and keeping his voice low, placed his order.

"Hi," he said, "Do you deliver anywhere?"

"Yes, sir, as long as it is in the States."

"Okay, well in that case, can I order two? One to be delivered to Mrs. Elizabeth Davis at Goldsmith's Rehab Clinic and the other to Mr. Mitch Davis at the county prison, both in New York City." Lucas said.

"Of course, sir. Would you like to add a message?"

"Yeah, Just put 'Merry Christmas' on them and tell them it's from Brooke Davis."

"Brooke Davis?"

"Yeah, I'm ordering on behalf of her."

Lucas cast his eyes to the bathroom door, making sure it was still shut. He could hear the faint sound of the shower.

"Okay, your order has been placed. They will be delivered in two weeks. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Thank you."

Once the payment had been sorted out, Lucas hung up the phone, barely before Brooke came out of the shower.

"Hey, gorgeous," she greeted, "Who were you talking to?"

"Oh, no-one," Lucas said. She grinned.

"Don't lie. You were totally sorting out my Christmas present weren't you?" she asked.

"You got me," Lucas lied, hating to do so.

"Thought so," Brooke said, "I'm going to get changed before dinner. See you in a bit," she said giving him a kiss and practically bouncing out of the door.

Lucas sighed, wondering whether he'd done the right thing. He didn't want to go behind her back like this but he didn't want her making mistakes so early on in her life.

He just hoped she'd understand.

**To Be Continued…**


	23. Can't Stay Forever Like This

**Chapter Twenty Three: Can't Stay Forever Like This**

"Lucas!"

The yell resounded through the house as the young brunette marched through the halls of the Scott residence searching for her boyfriend.

"Lucas!" she repeated with a growl, "If you don't show your face in the next thirty seconds I swear I will-"

"Brooke?" Lucas said as he entered the house through the back gate, "I thought I heard you. What's wrong?" he asked.

Brooke marched up to him, still seething, and thrust a letter in front of his face, "What is this?"

"Uh, a letter addressed to you?" he said as he tried reading the information.

"It's a letter from my mom," Brooke told him. "Thanking me for sending her the, open quote; 'lovely muffin basket that brightened up the day', end quote."

Lucas gulped hard.

"Oh."

"Why is my mother receiving muffin baskets from me?" she asked crossing her arms. Lucas shifted uncomfortably.

"Okay, honey, before you completely freak out, you have to understand that I was just trying to look out for you and I thought it'd be nice to let them know you're thinking about them."

"Them?"

"I also sent one to your dad," he confessed. She growled and hit him.

"Why, Lucas? Why would you go behind my back and do that when I specifically told you not to?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, baby. I just thought-"

"You thought wrong. If you think I'm making a mistake, well then it's my mistake to make. I thought that you'd understand that," Brooke said as she began walking away.

"Brooke…" Lucas began as he followed her.

"Just leave it, Lucas, please," she told him as she grabbed her jacket from the coat stand.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Out," she replied, "I need to clear my head."

"Brooke, it's freezing," Lucas told her, "I was out there for ten minutes and my fingers went numb."

But his words fell on deaf ears as she slammed the door shut.

* * *

Lucas redialed her cellphone number _again_ and heard it go to her voicemail. Again. 

He sighed as he began his fourteenth message.

"Hey Brooke, it's me again. I'm really sorry for doing what I did. I should have asked you, I know that, but… just come home so we can talk about this? It's getting really cold and I'm getting worried. Call me back."

He stared at his own cellphone and checked the messages. There were none. He waited a few minutes to give her a chance to call, but the phone remained silent.

Lucas began dialing another number, which picked up on its fourth ring.

"Yo," Lucas heard Peyton's reply.

"Hey, Peyton. Is Brooke there?" Lucas asked.

"No, she's not. Why did you guys have an argument?" Peyton questioned.

"Yeah. She stormed out about two hours ago and she's still not back."

"I wouldn't worry. Did she take her car?" Peyton asked.

"Nope," he replied, "It's freezing out there and she only took her jacket. And not her winter one." He heard Peyton sigh.

"Well, she's not here. You should try calling her again or phone Haley. She might be there. If not, then I guess you should just wait for her to come home. If she turned up here, I'll give you a call, okay?" Peyton replied.

"Okay," Lucas said. "If you get a hold of her, tell her to give me a call."

"Sure thing," Peyton said, "And I wouldn't worry, Lucas. She couldn't have gone far. But if I were you, whatever you did to piss her off, you should try and undo. Or get a heck of an apology prepared cos you're going to need it."

"I know. Thanks, Peyton," Lucas said.

"No problem," Peyton replied as she hung up. Lucas stared down at the phone and wondered if he should call her again. Deciding against it, he dialed a different number.

* * *

"Haley speaking," Haley greeted as she picked up her phone, "Oh hey Luke… no, she's not here. What happened?" 

Nathan looked up from his math homework and listened into the conversation. He heard Haley sighed heavily and shake her head.

"Luke, you shouldn't have done that! Maybe she overreacted but you know as well as I do that Brooke hates people going behind her back," Haley told her brother-in-law.

Nathan raised his eyebrows as he wondered what his older brother had done now.

"I'll call you if I hear from her, okay? Bye," Haley hung up the phone and turned to her husband.

"So what did Lucas do to piss Brooke off?" Nathan asked.

"He went behind her back and sent her parents muffin baskets for Christmas in her name – despite the fact Brooke made it clear she wanted nothing to do with them."

"Ow. So what happened?"

Haley shrugged, "She stormed out a couple of hours ago and hasn't been in touch since. He's getting worried, and to be honest, I'd be too."

"She'll be okay, Hales. She's probably at the mall or something. No-one would be stupid enough to stay outside in this weather," Nathan said shivering slightly as he glanced outside.

The doorbell rung several times and Haley rushed to open it, revealing a shivering and cold Brooke.

"Brooke!" she exclaimed as she ushered her friend in.

"Hey, Tutor Wife. Nathan," she greeted as she walked in, her hands clasped tightly together and her teeth chattering.

"Brooke, it's freezing outside. Where have you been?" Haley asked as she led Broke to the couch.

"Oh, Broody boy and I had a fight and I walked out. Kind of wishing I'd taken a bigger coat though," she said.

"I'm going to make you a hot chocolate. Nathan, could you put the fire on?" her husband dutifully obliged whilst Haley fixed the three some hot chocolate. Nathan sat on the coffee table, facing Brooke and handing her a blanket.

"Thanks," Brooke said giving him a small smile. She caught her reflection on the TV screen and grimaced. "Ew, I have chapped lips. Anybody got chap stick?" she questioned.

"I think you have bigger problems than worrying about your appearence," Haley said.

"Obviously you and I live in two very different worlds," Brooke said as Haley handed her a mug of hot chocolate. "Thank you, Tutor Wife."

"So, where have you been? Lucas has been worried sick about you!" Haley asked.

"I know. He called my cell, like, fifteen times. I got thrown out of the café I was in. That's how I ended up freezing my ass off."

"Why didn't you just go home?" Nathan asked.

"And face Lucas? No thanks. I'm pissed at him and so I'm going to let him stew for a while yet," Brooke explained.

"Well, you want me to call him and tell him you're safe?" Haley asked. Brooke shook her head.

"No, I'll just wait here for a while, if you don't mind," Brooke sighed as the feeling came back into her fingers and toes. "So what were you two doing?" she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Algebra."

"Please tell me that's some sort of code for a kinky game you guys play," Brooke pleaded.

"No, it's just algebra." Nathan replied, also sounding slightly disappointed.

"But you guys have it so sweet here. It's cold outside; you've got the fire running, just the two of you keeping each other warm. Have you not seen _The Notebook_?"

"Yeah, but Brooke, we have actual homework to do over Christmas break," Haley replied.

"So do we but Lucas and I still find time to-"

"Argh, too much information!" Nathan held his hands up to his ears, "I don't want to hear about my brother like that."

"Fine, I won't say anything," Brooke said as Nathan lowered his hands, "About his cute ass!" she giggled as Nathan put his hands back on his ears and fell off the coffee table.

* * *

It was a further two hours before Brooke returned, having been dropped off home by Nathan instead of having to walk the twenty minute journey. 

Lucas opened the front door as soon as the car pulled up and greeted his girlfriend with open arms, giving a quick wave to Nathan before Nathan drove off.

Brooke pushed past Lucas and went straight into her room, Lucas following directly behind her. She left her door open and sat down on her bed, crossing her arms and looking at him.

"Well?" she asked. He sighed.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I should have respected your wishes and never done what I did," he apologized. "If I'd known you would have been this mad, I never would have done it."

Brooke sighed, "I just wanted them to know what it felt like. Being ignored," she confessed.

"Sorry," he said.

"It's okay," she replied, "I know I overreacted a little bit."

"But to make up for it," Lucas quickly ran into his room, returning thirty seconds later and holding out a carefully wrapped package, "here."

"What is it?" Brooke asked as she took it into her hands.

"It's one of your Christmas presents. I figured you might as well open this one now."

"Lucas…"

"Go on," he urged, "You deserve it."

She grinned and unwrapped the box, gasping as she revealed a gorgeous heart shaped locket on a long chain.

"Lucas, it's beautiful."

"It's already got our pictures in it. It's also long enough to be hidden underneath your clothes so Dad or whoever aren't suspicious about who gave it to you." Lucas explained.

Brooke sighed as she looked at the pictures inside and gave Lucas a hug, "I love it. Thank you," she told him. "This is seriously the best present I've ever gotten. Honestly."

She smiled again and let him sit down next to her on her best. They lay there for a few moments in silence, their fingers intertwining as they thought.

"This was our first argument."

"No it wasn't." Lucas replied, hoping he wouldn't spark of another argument.

"Our first argument as a couple."

"Let's make another first."

"Huh?"

"Our first time having make-up sex."

"Why? Are you planning on pissing me off more?" she asked jokingly, "Anyway, what did you do while I was gone?" she asked; "Besides call me every other minute."

"Kicked myself for pissing you off, called Peyton and Haley, got worried…" he listed, "I played a little PlayStation."

"Nice," Brooke said sarcastically, "Nice to see that you were so concerned about my welfare that you played a game."

He paused, "I, uh, I started filling out applications. For college," he continued. He heard Brooke gulp hard and her hesitation.

"Oh," she replied.

"Yeah."

"Well, it's good, right? That you're getting it out of the way now, right?" she said, "All the hassle and stress."

"Right."

The two continued to sit in silence, Brooke playing with her new locket and realizing the true reason behind the gift.

In a few months, he was leaving, and all she really would have left is his gifts and the memories.

She sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder and relishing the time they had now.

**To Be Continued…**

_That was the last update for about... well, until the end of the month. My exams start next week, and though I only have 6, I haven't actually picked up a book yet and considering my results decide whether I get into Uni or not, I think I'd better put this on the back-burner and study up. _

_Who knows, I may update sooner than that because I can't stay away from you guys! But July 1st is the preliminary date of the next feasible update. _

_So, I hope you enjoy this and let me know you haven't forgotten me by pressing that lovely purple button every once in a while. The exam blues are a bitch to have ;)_

_Tejal x_


	24. You're About To Break My Fall

_I want to thank you all for your support while I've been on a brief hiatus. I've been writing this chapter during my study breaks and days off and I finally finished it today. I was going to post it after my last exam, but I figured that you all deserved something just for being so awesome. _

_I only have two exams left and then a couple of after-exam celebrations, which should bring me to the end of next week. But after that, I have two and a half months of freedom to write!_

_Enjoy!_

**Chapter Twenty Four: You're About To Break My Fall**

Almost two months had passed since Christmas and though Brooke and Lucas didn't talk about college, it always lingered on the surface of every conversation.

Lucas filled in the college applications when Brooke was out, or he was in the library. Places free of Brooke's presence so that neither of them had to talk about it.

Of course, Dan did nothing to help as he rambled on and on about the newest scholarship offers at the dinner table. He didn't notice Brooke's downcast eyes as she nervously played with his food, or why Lucas kept attempting to change the subject. Finally, Karen had to ban Dan from talking about colleges at the dinner table, despite his protests.

Even their friends didn't talk about college near Brooke or Lucas, knowing it would only really bring an awkward end to the conversation. The rest of the gang were all the same age and dating people in their age group. College wouldn't be an issue for at least another year. But Brooke and Lucas' current situation forced them to think about the future, and the repercussions of that.

After all of his applications had safely been posted and out of the way, Lucas felt a heavy weight being lifted from his shoulders.

He literally ran back home with a spring in his step and gently knocked on his girlfriend's bedroom door.

He poked his head inside and grinned at her as she lay on her stomach, reading a magazine.

"Hey," she said, "You look happy." Lucas allowed himself in.

"I am happy."

"Care to tell me why?" she asked. Lucas decided not to tell her about the applications, knowing it would probably bring them both down.

"Because you're the best girlfriend in the world," he said.

"But you already knew that," Brooke grinned. He bent down and gave her a kiss, kneeling at the foot of the bed so that he was at her eye level.

"Guess what I did," Brooke looked up questioningly.

"What?"

"Well, I know somebody's 17th birthday is coming up," Brooke's eyes widened and she shut her magazine.

"Yeah?" she asked excitedly.

"How about we go away next weekend to celebrate? Just you and me," Lucas suggested.

"But my birthday is the weekend after that," Brooke said, "Remember?"

"Yeah, I know. But Peyton and Haley have told me that I've got to keep that weekend free for you, so…" he pulled out two plane tickets, "do you fancy a weekend in Palm Springs?"

Brooke's jaw dropped as she looked at the tickets in his hand.

"Are you kidding me?"

"It's all set. I figured that since things have been a little… tense lately, we need a break." Lucas said truthfully.

Brooke smiled, but it quickly faded, "Wait? How are we supposed to go to Palm Springs without your dad getting suspicious?"

"Already taken care of. My mom's going to tell him that we're visiting her parents."

"Oh, do they live there?" Brooke asked.

"Nope, but my dad doesn't know that. As long as he doesn't have to see them, he doesn't care where they are."

Brooke dropped a kiss on her boyfriend's head, "Broody, this is fantastic. Thank you."

She crawled off her bed and picked up the phone.

"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.

"Calling Peyton and Tutor Wife. I need to go shopping!" she bounced excitedly and Lucas shook his head, pleased to see a genuine smile on her face.

* * *

Haley, Peyton and Brooke sat together in Brooke's backyard, cooling themselves down with three fans and an array of cold drinks, and many different bottles of sunscreen and music playing in the background.

"Why does it have to be so hot?" Brooke complained as she rubbed another layer of sunscreen onto her skin.

"Oh, shut up. You know you love it," Peyton said, her eyes peaking over her sunglasses. "It means you don't have to visit the self-tanning place for a while."

"For a long while," Haley added, "Because someone is being whisked off to Palm Springs in tomorrow."

Brooke grinned, "Yeah, all thanks to my Broody. Have I told you how much I love him?"

"Yes, _many _times," Peyton said, "In fact, if you tell us one more time, I'm going to have to be forced to take drastic action."

Brooke giggled and Peyton turned to her.

"Seriously though, dude. I'm really pleased for you. You've seemed a little down these past couple of months. It'll do you some good to go away for a while," Peyton told her honestly, still dancing around the true reason behind her friend's recent subdued nature.

"That goes for me too," Haley joined in, "If only my husband would get the hint that I want to go away for a while."

"Didn't he offer to take you to Atlanta to see your parents?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, but I didn't take it. I felt kind of bad making him work harder than he already is just to scrounge up enough money for a trip. We're finding it hard to make ends meet just as it is. Plus, it's not like I never talk to them. I was just thinking more along the lines of going away for a weekend. Somewhere local…" Haley mused.

"Maybe we girls should all take a vacation somewhere. Summer is coming up and I think we can wrangle a weekend free from our boyfriends. What do you think?" Peyton asked.

"Isn't summer still five months away?" Brooke frowned.

"It never hurt anybody to plan these things in advance," Peyton replied.

"Well if it continues being this hot, then maybe we won't have to go anywhere. Why on Earth do we have a heat wave in mid-February?" Haley complained reaching for a drink.

"Global warming?" Brooke hazarded just as the house phone began to ring. "Urgh, I'll be right back."

Brooke got up from her chair and slipped her flip-flops back on her feet, running slightly to pick the phone up.

"Hello, Scott Residence," she spoke into the phone clearly, her hand holding a pen that was poised over a notepad. Sometimes Dan would receive business calls at home and the family was well-trained to take down any important details for him.

"Brooke?" the young girl froze as she heard the voice. "Is that you?"

"Mom," she said clearly surprised, "How did you get this number?"

The woman chuckled, "Is that how you greet your mother?" Brooke didn't reply, "Of course I know where my own child lives."

"Is everything okay?" Brooke asked, wondering why her mother was calling her after almost seven months of no communication.

"No, no, everything is fine. Did you get my letter?"

Suddenly it clicked. Her mother was responding to the muffin baskets Lucas had sent and then following up. She was probably wondering why Brooke never replied.

"Oh, yeah. I did."

"I thought so. The gift was a lovely gesture, Brooke," her mother told her. "It was nice to hear from you."

"Um… is there any reason you're calling me?" Brooke knew what she sounded like, but she wasn't really in the mood to talk to her mother.

"Well, I was wondering, since it is your father's birthday coming up, that we should go see him. Together. As a family," her mother explained.

"Aren't you still in rehab?" Brooke asked.

"Oh, no. I was out of there weeks ago."

"Oh, congratulations," Brooke said.

"So what do you think?"

"Uh… I don't know," Brooke tried to think of an excuse.

"Honey, we haven't seen you for a long time. It would really cheer your father up for him to see you. Not to mention that I'm aching to see you too."

Brooke became slightly incensed.

Her parents never gave a damn about her before. They used to go months without seeing Brooke. Sometimes a rare phone call home would suffice for them to continue their globe-trotting adventures.

And now everything had changed because of some stupid muffin baskets.

"Mom…"

"Please come, Brooke. You owe us," her mother's voice became slightly more sinister. Brooke sighed and gulped.

"Fine. Just a couple of days. When?"

"Tonight."

"What?" Brooke froze.

'_No, not this weekend,'_ Brooke closed her eyes tightly, _'anything but this weekend.'_

"I thought you could come down tonight and spend the whole weekend with us. We could go to the spas and have dinner, Just like we used to when you were a little girl."

"But we haven't done that in such a long time," Brooke said.

"I know, honey, and that's why it's important to me," her mother reasoned.

"Mom, I can't. I have plans this weekend. Plus, it's a little short notice," Brooke apologized.

"Well, how about next weekend? I'm sure your father than wait an extra week for his birthday. You're free that weekend, right?"

Brooke sighed, wondering if her mother had any idea what she'd just said.

"I can't," she told her mother coldly, "It's _my_ birthday next weekend."

There was a pause on her mother's end.

"Oh, that's right. You were born a week after your father's birthday," her mother said before her tone brightened, "That means we can celebrate them both this weekend."

"Mom!" Brooke snapped, "I can't come this weekend or next, I have plans."

"Well what is your father going to think when he sees his daughter didn't even remember his birthday?"

Brooke sighed, "You can't guilt trip me…"

"Brooke, please? It'd mean the world to both of us. You don't have to see us again if you don't want to. Just this once, please?"

She'd never heard her mother come so close to begging before. Finally, she relented.

"Okay," she said, "I'll be there tonight."

Her mother's joy at the news was only matched by Brooke's frustration of having to disappoint Lucas.

* * *

Lucas almost danced down the hallway of his home. He stopped at Brooke's door, knocking on it gently before opening it.

She was packing.

"Hey," he grinned as he entered the room and leant against the wall, "I thought you'd already packed."

Brooke didn't reply but Lucas spied that she was taking out the swimsuits and dresses she'd bought, and replacing them with sweatshirts and pants.

"Aren't you going to be hot in those clothes? It's supposed to be sunny in Palm Springs."

Brooke stopped what she was doing and looked at Lucas apologetically.

"I'm not going to Palm Springs," she told him, "I wanted to tell you earlier but I didn't know how."

Lucas scratched his head, "Wait, what are you talking about?" He crossed his arms.

"My mom called this afternoon. She wants me to go to New York and spend the weekend with her. It's my dad's birthday so I've got to go visit him."

"And you couldn't have picked a different weekend?" Lucas asked in anger.

"Lucas, I'm really sorry. I did try and get out of it but if I don't do this then I might lose my parents forever," Brooke tried to explain.

"Because you gave a crap about them during Christmas, right?" Lucas snapped.

Now it was Brooke's turn to be angry, "I can't believe you're not being so supportive of this. You're the one who sent them those stupid muffin baskets which started this whole thing off!"

"Yeah, I wanted you to _talk_ to your parents, not ditch me the night before we're meant to head up to Palm Springs. You know, lately things between us were kind of weird and I thought that this trip could be a way of getting things back to there way we were but no! We're fighting," Lucas complained.

"I don't want to fight, Lucas. You know I'd rather go to Palm Springs with you, but I just can't. If I back out on my parents now, they're either going to want nothing to do with me, or they're going to keep calling me. I don't want any of that. The least I can do is make peace with them now and get it over with. I love you, Lucas," Brooke told him moving closer and wrapping her arms around his waist.

Lucas removed himself from her grasp, "Evidently not enough," he shot back.

Brooke sighed, "Okay, what is it going to take for you to forgive me?" she asked. "Because I will do anything."

"Don't go." Lucas replied.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "I can't do that, Lucas."

"You said anything," he contended.

"Stop making this harder, Lucas," Brooke pleaded, "I don't want to leave on bad terms. Plus, it's only a weekend."

"Yeah, a weekend that cost me-"

"Is this about money?" Brooke interrupted, "Because I'll pay you back for the money you spent on those tickets if it means you'll stop acting like an ass over this. I'm sorry that I'm going to see my parents, okay? And I promise I'll make it up to you when I get back."

Lucas silently gave in, "When do you leave?"

"Tonight. Karen's already offered to drive me to the airport and my mom booked my ticket," Lucas let out a sigh.

"Fine," he relented, "Go."

Lucas turned to leave but Brooke stopped him.

"Wait, aren't you going to drop me off to the airport?" she asked. Lucas shrugged.

"What's the point? My mom's going with you anyway. Seems like you don't even need me."

"You need to stop acting like a jerk, Lucas," Brooke said as she took out her frustration on trying to close her suitcase. "I told you I'm sorry a million times, isn't that enough?"

Lucas didn't say anything.

"Brooke, honey! We need to get going." Karen's voice broke the uncomfortable silence.

Lucas just shook his head and sulked off to his room, leaving Brooke alone to feel the guilt of possibly ruining their relationship.

Karen entered Brooke's room to see the young girl staring down at her suitcase.

"I take it Lucas didn't react well?" Karen asked. "Don't worry, Brooke. When Lucas was seven, he wanted to go to Disneyworld, and we agreed to take both boys but that week, Dan had an emergency and we had to cancel. Needless to say Lucas sulked that whole week, refusing to eat his vegetables or listen to either of us. He caused us such hell. But eventually, he forgot about it and things went back to normal a couple of weeks later. And we did manage to take them to Disneyworld later that summer."

Karen could see from Brooke's expression that she didn't understand the point of the story.

"What I'm saying is that give Lucas some time to cool down. Go to New York; meet up with your parents, and come back home. Lucas is going to realize that he misses you and was being stupid and I almost guarantee that things will be okay between you two. He knows you're the best thing that ever happened to him," Karen advised.

"Are you sure?" Brooke asked. Karen nodded.

"I'm his mother," Karen said, "So, are you ready to go?"

* * *

Karen and Brooke made their way through the house and into the car. Lucas waited until he heard the front door slam shut and the car zoom off before looking at the plane tickets in his hand.

An expensive weekend for two in Palm Springs. It was supposed to be the best weekend of their lives.

But now all the plans were ruined.

Lucas looked at them once more and threw them in the wastebasket next to him, sinking his head into his hands as he did.

The ringing of the phone almost made him jump. Hoping that not all was lost, he picked it up.

"Brooke?" he asked.

"Dude, no!" came the very masculine voice of Tim Smith, "It's The Tim!"

Lucas groaned, "Don't call yourself that, Tim. And why are you calling?"

"Somebody's pissed off."

"Tim!"

"I just called to let you know there's a rocking party at my house tonight," Tim said excitedly.

"Isn't there one at your house almost every week?" Lucas asked.

"Well, yeah, but this is going to be the best. My parents are out of town on their second honeymoon and I decided we're going to have… Oktoberfest!"

Lucas frowned, "But its February."

"So?"

"Tim, you can't have Oktoberfest in February!"

"Why not?" Tim sounded disappointed.

"You know what? Never mind," Lucas sighed.

"So, are you coming?" Tim asked, "You've been so busy with Brooke these past few months, you've been missing out on the party circuit."

"We went to your last party," Lucas reminded him.

"Well, yeah, but you're still missed. What time are you and your lady coming?"

"Brooke's in New York this weekend," Lucas tried not to let his frustration about the situation rise.

"Awesome! That means you're a free man tonight."

"No, Tim. I'm not in the mood to go to any parties," Lucas told him.

"Aw, come on! Nate's going to be there. Everyone is. Live it up!" Tim tried to convince his friend.

Lucas was about to refuse the offer but he spied the discarded plane tickets in the trash.

"Okay," he said, "Fine, I'll come for a while. But only because I need to loosen up," Lucas agreed.

"Alright! It starts at eight but you can come whenever!" Lucas hung up on 'The Tim' and shook his head.

There was one benefit to having a girlfriend out of town.

And Lucas was determined to drown whatever sorrows he had.

**To Be Continued…**


	25. Caught By The Taste Of Your Kiss

_I just came home from my last exam and so I thought I'd post this because my teacher wants to take us all out to the pub for a drink and I won't get a chance to post this otherwise. _

**Chapter Twenty Five: Caught By The Taste Of Your Kiss**

Nathan and Haley sat together on Tim's couch as they tried to avoid the other over-enthusiastic partygoers.

Haley shifted towards Nathan slightly as to dodge the guy who bumped into the back of the couch and narrowly missed spilling his beer all over Haley.

"Sorry, dude!" he slurred before running off.

"Tell me again why I agreed to come to Tim's 'Oktoberfest'?" she asked her husband.

"Sorry, Hales, we'll go soon. Tim's been kind of pissed lately since he thinks we're not hanging out with him anymore. He says this party was thrown specifically for us," Nathan said over the loud music.

"I thought it was for Oktoberfest – whatever that is. Speaking of which, why are we getting one in February? And when will he stop throwing parties for us?" Haley complained. She had nothing against Tim as she genuinely did enjoy hanging out with him. It just annoyed her when he throw bachelor parties and other such events in honor of them, somewhat forcing them to turn up instead of snuggling up together in front of a cheesy movie; which is all she really had wanted to do.

Haley James-Scott was not one for social occasions.

Nathan just shrugged and kissed his wife's temple before loud cheers resonated throughout the house.

"I wonder what happened," Haley asked, "Fight?"

Nathan shook his head, "I have no idea." The two craned their necks over to the area where the noise was coming from but the crowds of people blocked their view.

Thankfully, Jake and Peyton emerged from the crowd and walked up to Nathan and Haley.

"What's going on over there?" Haley asked as Jake and Peyton sat opposite them.

"Lucas turned up," Jake replied, "Which is strange because I thought he and Brooke were heading out to Palm Springs tomorrow morning."

Peyton and Haley exchanged a look.

"I guess she went then," Haley said. Nathan gave his wife a look.

"I didn't see her," Peyton added.

"What's going on?" Jake interjected, wondering what they were talking about.

"Brooke's mom called and asked Brooke to spend this weekend in New York with her, which means…" Peyton began.

"She couldn't go to Palm Springs," Haley finished. Both Nathan and Jake seemed surprised at the news. "Did Lucas look okay?" Haley asked Peyton.

"He looked… I don't know," Peyton said, "I only saw a glimpse of him before he was mobbed by Tim and the others."

"I hope he doesn't do something stupid," Haley mused.

"I'll go check it out," Nathan said patting Haley's knee as he left.

Nathan quickly found Lucas talking to some members of the team. He looked okay but Nathan knew that Lucas could put on a front when he needed to.

"Hey," Nathan said, "Didn't expect to see you here." Lucas greeted his brother.

"I was… unexpectedly free this weekend," Lucas said.

"So I'm guessing you and Brooke aren't going Palm Springs, huh?" Nathan correctly guessed.

Lucas' features clouded over at the mention of Brooke's name and their missed vacation, "Nope," he said.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked as Lucas finished off the beer in his hand and reached for another. "Wait, how many beers is that?"

Lucas shrugged, "Two or three, I guess."

"Slow down, Luke. You've only been here ten minutes."

"Funny," Lucas said, "It took less than that for Brooke to ditch me and Palm Springs for New York," he added bitterly.

"So I guess you're not okay about it," Nathan said.

"Hey!" Lucas said, "Do you and Haley want tickets to Palm Springs? You'll have to leave tomorrow morning but they're there if you want them… actually, they're more like ripped up into shreds in my trashcan, but if you have a lot of patience and sticky tape, I think you'll be okay," Lucas laughed as if it was all a joke but something told Nathan that it wasn't.

"Uh… no it's okay," Nathan said, "Don't you think you should call Brooke or something?"

Lucas scoffed, "Why? She's the one that left me."

"You know, Lucas, it wouldn't hurt for you to be a little more understanding. It must have been a tough choice for her," Lucas narrowed his eyes at Nathan.

"Whose side are you on?" Lucas asked. Nathan opened his mouth to reply but Lucas didn't let him, "You know what? Just go, Nate. Leave me alone for a while. Go play Happy Families with Haley."

"Fine," Nathan said, "Just promise you'll slow down with the drinks and don't do anything stupid," Lucas replied with a dismissive wave of his hand and walked away from his brother.

Nathan reluctantly returned to the group, "Well?" Haley asked.

"He's taken it pretty badly. We'll have to keep an eye on him, he's already on his sec…" Nathan saw Lucas reaching for another bottle, "…third bottle of beer."

"We're heading out soon so we can drop him home," Jake informed them.

* * *

Just after an hour and a half of trying to keep track of Lucas' whereabouts, Nathan and Jake decided they'd try and force him home. Even though the party had only just gone into full swing; they knew that Lucas wouldn't last the next hour.

They'd heard frequent reports from others that Lucas was livening up the party a little too much and that he'd switched from beer to a continuous flow of vodka.

Nathan spotted a swaying Lucas talking to a pretty blonde in the corner of one of the rooms and led Jake towards them.

"Hey, buddy," Nathan said interrupting Lucas, "How about we get you home. It's getting late."

Lucas contemplated it for a moment before shaking his head, "No."

"Lucas, you can barely stand. You need to come home with us right now," Nathan said a little more forcefully.

"No!" Lucas pushed Nathan backwards, allowing Jake to step in.

"Come on, man. How about we go get some caffeine into you?" he suggested. Lucas shook his head again.

"Leave me alone!" he said as he pushed Jake into Nathan. The momentum also sent Lucas reeling backwards too. He steadied himself against the wall.

The two boys looked at one another, "Another ten minutes?" Jake suggested.

They walked away to a safe distance and met up with their girlfriends.

"Where's Lucas?" Haley asked. She had been finally pleased to be leaving the party when Nathan suggested taking Lucas home, but now her husband had left empty handed.

"He didn't want to go. He was pretty forceful. We figure we should give him a little more time to calm down before taking him home. Either that or all four of us are going to drag him to the car." Nathan told his wife.

"We just have to keep an eye out for him," Jake said.

"So where is he?" Peyton said.

"Near that window," Nathan pointed to the space where Lucas had just been, "Or at least he _was,_" he groaned.

"Where the hell did he go?" Jake asked.

"He can't have gone far. It's a house party, for God's sakes!" Haley said.

"He was with that blonde girl," Nathan said.

"What!" Peyton and Haley yelled simultaneously.

"You left him with a blonde girl?" Haley gaped.

"We didn't know-"

"Can we just find him?" Peyton said, "Nathan and Haley, you take the upstairs, Jake and I will take the downstairs and the garden. We'll meet back here in about 15 minutes, okay?"

The four went off in their designated directions, searching over the crowds and trying to avoid getting caught up in anything, to try and find Lucas before he did anything stupid.

* * *

"I'm tired," Lucas groaned as he was pushed into an empty bedroom. He spied the bed and lay on his back, closing his eyes.

"Don't you want to stay up?" a female voice asked as she pulled him back up.

"Brooke?" Lucas asked, "Is that you?"

"I'll be 'Brooke' if you want me to," the voice said with a small laugh.

"I am so sorry for being such a jerk. That was very me of inconsiderate," Lucas slurred, "Wait, I meant inconsiderate… I think," he groaned. "I think I need sleep."

"That can be arranged," 'Brooke' said as she sat down on his lap and held his upper waist up until he could do it on his own.

"Brooke, my dad could come in," Lucas struggled to keep his eyes open.

The girl didn't seem to mind as she thrust her tongue into his mouth and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Shhh," she gave him a grin, "It's okay. Brookie is here."

* * *

Nathan knocked on several doors before opening them and checking the contents.

People were crowded into almost every crevice of the room, and Nathan had to look for any tall, sandy blonde guys who resembled his brother as he had no time to look at them all.

He grabbed a couple of guys who looked similar, and even a girl, but he still couldn't find Lucas.

Nathan bumped into Tim, "Hey, Nate. How's it going?" Tim asked. He was slightly drunk and ever merrier than usual.

"Have you seen Lucas?" Tim seemed a little put out by the question.

"I know he's you're brother and all but I'm your best friend and I think you need to spend time with The Tim too," Tim said, "Let's go play some PS2…"

Nathan didn't have time to spend playing video games with Tim, "Tim, come on, have you seen Lucas?"

"First we must play-" Tim began.

"Forget it!" Nathan began to leave but Tim called after him.

"He was with Sarah Ford," Tim said. Nathan turned around.

"What?"

"Sarah Ford. You know? The one with the huge-" Tim cupped his hands under his chest and grinned.

"Where is he now?" Nathan asked just as Haley approached the two.

"They looked kind of frisky so I gave them the key to the master suite," Tim wiggled his eyesbrows and went away.

"What was that?" Haley asked, having only caught the tailed of the conversation.

Nathan shook his head and took his wife by the hand, leading her to the master bedroom, fearing for what his brother had gotten himself into.

Haley saw where they were headed and tried to resist.

"Nathan, we're supposed to be looking for Lucas. I don't think anyone will appreciate it if we-"

She was cut off when Nathan opened the door and the two saw a half-conscious Lucas lying on the bed with a blond girl straddling him.

"Lucas!" Haley yelled. The girl narrowed her eyes.

"Do you mind?" she asked. "There's a reason why only one couple at a time are allowed in this room."

Nathan stormed into the room, "Yeah, we do mind. That's my brother and he has a girlfriend."

The girl reluctantly got off Lucas and wiped the smudged lipstick off her face.

"Oh, so that's who Brooke is," the girl said. Nathan shook his head and went towards his brother, helping him up.

"Geez, what did you get yourself into?" he muttered as he pulled his brother into an upright position. Nathan turned to the girl, "Sarah, right?" she nodded, "How far did you get?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," Sarah replied with a chuckle as she buttoned up her shirt and pulled down her shirt.

"How far?" Nathan bit out.

"Not as far as we could have… but far enough. You say he has a girlfriend?" Nathan nodded, "Well then, I guess he cheated."

Sarah's lips curled into a smile and she began to leave the room. Haley caught her arm.

"You're disgusting, you know that?" she spat. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. I got what I want, and he got what he wanted. Nothing you can do about it," Sarah released herself from Haley's grip and sauntered down the hall, looking for new prey.

"Go and grab Jake and Peyton," Nathan instructed. Haley looked at Lucas and sighed before running down the stairs.

"Come on, man," Nathan said as he tried to keep his brother awake, "We've got to go."

"Brooke?" he asked.

"No, it's Nathan."

"Where did Brooke go?" Lucas asked, "I want to see her. I have to talk to her and stop her from… I'm not mad about Palm Springs. I just want to see her," Lucas babbled.

"Let's get you sober and home first," Nathan suggested buttoning up Lucas' shirt and even having to do up his jeans for him. "What did you do?" he muttered.

"I want… I want Brooke." Lucas continued as his eyes drooped.

"You'll see her soon," Nathan promised, "Can you get up?" he asked. Lucas managed to shake his head. "Are you going to throw up?" Nathan asked, backing away slightly. Lucas shook his head again.

Jake, Peyton and Haley entered the room, each of them shaking their head at the sight of a barely conscious Lucas being held up by his brother in an empty bedroom.

"We need to carry him out to the car. We'll take him to our apartment," Nathan told them, taking the role of the big brother in an effort to take care of his brother.

"Does he know what happened?" Jake asked as he helped Nathan get Lucas to his feet. The two men supported Lucas as they slowly began to walk out of the room.

"I don't think so. He thought he was with Brooke and kept asking for her," Nathan said sadly.

"Man, he's going to regret this in the morning," Jake noted.

* * *

The sudden burst of sunshine that poured into the room disturbed Lucas from his slumber and he buried his head into a cushion, which was cruelly ripped away from him within seconds.

As he opened his eyes, his head began to throb and he shielded his eyes with his hands, groaning with the pain from his hangover.

"Five more minutes…" he mumbled before his eyes fully opened and he saw Nathan staring at him. "Hey Nate," he groaned, "What time is it?"

"Ten," came the reply. "You were out like a light."

Lucas forced himself into an upright position, in time to see Haley heading towards him.

"Hey Hal-" he was cut short by a rolled up magazine connecting with his head. He groaned in pain. "Hales! That was my head! I have a hangover!" he complained.

"Did it hurt?" Haley asked.

"Yes!"

Haley did it again and had to be restrained by her husband.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lucas asked rubbing the back of his head.

Haley was incensed, "What's wrong with _me?_ What's wrong with _you_?" she tried to hit him again.

"What did I do?" Lucas asked, "Wait, can I get an ice pack first? My head is killing me."

"_I'm_ going to kill you," Haley told him. Nevertheless she retrieved an ice pack and threw it in his direction. Nathan caught it before it hit Lucas and handed it over, giving his wife a look. She shrugged.

"What do you remember from last night?" Nathan asked his brother. Lucas shrugged.

"Not much, but judging from this bitch of a hangover, I must have been out of it," Lucas said holding the ice pack tentatively to his forehead.

"So you don't remember _anything_?" Nathan asked.

"No, why? What did I do?" Lucas asked before his eyes went wide, "I didn't eat old pizza again, did I?" he questioned. Haley scoffed, evidently pissed with her brother-in-law.

"Uh, if only," Nathan said as he sat down opposite Lucas, "You did something pretty… pretty low, even by your standards," he told him.

"What did I do?"

"More like who," Haley muttered. Lucas caught her statement and his eyes widened again.

"I didn't-" he began.

"Yeah, you did. Sarah Ford," Nathan informed him, "You thought she was Brooke, apparently."

"Even though she's blonde!" Haley said.

"Oh god," Lucas buried his head in his hands, "Are you sure? I mean, how far-"

"Lucas, I'm sorry, but it was pretty clear from a lot of things that you cheated on Brooke," Nathan told him, "Are you okay?"

"No!" Lucas stood up, "Are you sure?"

Nathan nodded, "She told us herself."

Lucas cursed out loud, his head still hurt but all he could think of was Brooke and what she'd do when she found out.

"This is screwed up. I knew I shouldn't have gone last night. But I was so mad…" Lucas mumbled as he stared out of the window.

Haley sighed, she was still pissed off with Lucas, but her heart went out to him and the mistake he made in a moment of drunken madness.

"Lucas, you _were_ drunk and it was a mistake. A stupid one but you can't dwell on it. Brooke comes back tomorrow night." She said, mostly concerned for her friend's wellbeing.

"You can't tell her!" Lucas said pointing a finger at her. He was suddenly very scared.

"Lucas-"

"If Brooke doesn't find out then we'll be okay. Something like this would kill her and I love her too much to lose her," Lucas began to panic, something he only did rarely.

"Lucas, you can't keep this away from her. Most of the people at the party saw you with that ho," Haley reminded him, "Plus, Jake and Peyton know too."

Lucas sighed as he shook his head again, running his fingers through his hair that had started to grow long again. "I can't believe this."

"It'll be okay, Lucas. We'll support you, okay?" Nathan told him, "It was just one mistake."

Lucas sighed again.

Yeah, one mistake and he had put everything he held dear in jeopardy. Just over some stupid trip.

"What am I going to do?" Lucas asked them.

They simply gave him a sad smile and shrugged.

**To Be Continued…**

_Yeah, I know you all probably hate me but this has been planned for a while and it actually sets up most of the rest of the story so you'll have to bear with me. _

_Just a little note to leave you on: _

"_People that are meant to be together always find their way in the end."_


	26. Forgiveness Is Right Where You Fell

**Chapter Twenty Six: Forgiveness Is Right Where You Fell**

Brooke sat uncomfortably on the large couch as she patiently waited for her mother to arrive. They'd agreed to meet in the lobby of the hotel Brooke was staying in.

Since her parents had sold the New York penthouse apartment Brooke called home for sixteen years, she had no choice but to check into a nearby hotel. Brooke sipped the coke she'd ordered and wondered why her mother was five minutes later.

Brooke contemplated calling Lucas but figured that he'd still be mad at her and decided against it. Brooke looked down at the small gift-wrapped present she'd picked out at a small store a few hours previously.

There was no card, just a tag reading 'happy birthday'. She wasn't even sure how old her father was.

Brooke drummed her fingers idly and caught sight of an older woman with short brown hair enter the hotel. She stiffened as she watched the woman talk to the concierge, who pointed her in Brooke's direction.

Brooke noted the similar hazel brown eyes and sparking white teeth that flashed as she smiled at the concierge. She realized where she got her looks from.

Her mother quickly spotted Brooke and rushed forward, embracing her daughter with an unusual display of affection.

"Sweetheart," she gushed, "You look beautiful." Brooke tried to push aside her initial shock and forced a smile, relaxing into the hug.

"Thanks," she replied, "So do you, Mom." The two at down and Brooke politely asked her mother if she wanted a drink.

"Just a coke, please," she said as Brooke waved over the waiter and placed the order. Once he'd gone, Brooke and her mother were left alone. An awkward lull came over them as both tried to figure out what to say.

"So," her mother began, "Are you doing okay in Tree Hill?"

"Uh, yeah. It's great. Different from New York, but it's great." Brooke replied.

"That's good. And school and cheerleading is good too?" her mother questioned. Brooke was a little surprised that her mother even remembered what Brooke did as an extra-curricular activity – especially since she hadn't even remembered that her birthday was next week.

"Yeah, my GPA is slowly going up and I led my squad to victory at the Classic a few months back," Brooke told her. Her mother beamed proudly.

"Well done," she just as their drinks arrived, "I'm proud of you."

Another first, Brooke thought to herself. Neither of her parents had really shown their pride in their daughter before; unless it was in front of company and they were showing her off to the members of the country club.

"Thank you," Brooke said genuinely meaning it.

"What about Karen and Dan Scott? Are they treating you well? Do you get on with their two boys?"

Brooke contemplated telling her mother that she was dating Lucas, but thought against it. She may not be dating him for very long if he still hadn't forgiven her.

"Everything is great," Brooke replied. Her mother smiled, seemingly satisfied with her daughter's answer.

"I'm glad," her mother took a sip of her coke and Brooke could feel her palms beginning to feel sweaty and sticky.

"So," Brooke began, "When are we going to see Dad?" she asked. Her mother hesitated and bit her lip. Brooke knew what was coming; she always bit her lip when she was nervous or going to confess something.

"About that," her mother tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I think we should talk before…"

"Why?" Brooke interrupted.

Her mother cleared her throat and faced her daughter, putting her hands in her lap and leaning slightly closer. She seemed to pause to think about what to say and how to say it.

"Your father incurred a lot of debts, that's one of the reasons he dabbled in illegal activity," her mother's voice dropped low to prevent others from overhearing.

"I know," Brooke told her mom, "That's why you sold our penthouse and stopped going on holiday."

Her mother shifted uncomfortably, "Your father needs these debts paid off otherwise this whole family will lose everything. _Everything_," she emphasized.

Brooke nodded uncertainly, an anxious feeling burrowing at her stomach.

"We asked you here to do us a favor. For the good of the Davis name," her mother licked her lips, "Your grandmother set up a trust fund for you. It's worth… well, a lot of money."

"I know that too," Brooke whispered, her nerves getting the better of her as she slowly began to comprehend what her mother was asking her.

"Brooke, only you have access to that money and we would really appreciate it if you would-" Brooke held up a hand.

"Wait, you made me cancel my plans with my boyfriend so that you could get my money?" Brooke's voice began to rise slightly.

"Honey, calm down, it's not exactly like that," her mother assured.

"That trust fund was set up by Nana Davis for _me_ and me alone. That money is for college and my wedding and my house and anything else I need!" Brooke said.

"Oh, honey, you're not really going to college," her mother laughed slightly. "You were never interested in college."

"Well I am now because I want to go to college and get a good job and make money, instead of doing what you did and marry the first rich guy that came along!"

"Brooke…" her mother warned, casting a wary glance to make sure no-one was looking their way. "Your father and I need that money."

"Why? So you can get dad out of jail and then continue jetting around the world instead of spending time with your daughter?" Brooke asked, "No!"

"Listen, Brooke, I am sorry that you feel like this and I know we've never been the best parents in the world but things will change."

Brooke scoffed, "They won't change, mom, you know that. You'll have three weeks of acting like a happy family before you grow bored and ask Dad to book a 'vacation'. Then we'll go as a family a few times, before you tell me that you and Dad need some time together. And then after that, you'll need 'alone time'. I know how this goes, because I've lived with it for the past sixteen years."

Her mother looked away.

"Nana Davis set that up for me because she knew that you never took care of me, she told me that before she died. She wanted to make sure I'd be okay," Brooke told her mother.

The older Davis sighed, "Brooke, we only need enough to pay the debts off. Then maybe some for a new house."

"And renew your membership at the stupid country club you spent all your time in New York at?" Brooke shook her head.

"Don't you think you owe us something, Brooke? We've supported you your whole life. Paid for your clothes, your car, your education, and your lifestyle. You think we didn't know how many parties you threw? Or how many guys you spent the night with?"

"I'm not like that anymore," Brooke told her, "And yes, I do owe you something."

Her mother glanced up expectantly.

"I have to thank both you and Dad for being such deadbeats that I had to go live with Dan and Karen. Thank you for letting me experience what it's like to have a family dinner, to have some guidance, to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with people who actually care about me," Brooke stood up so she towered over the seated woman, "Thank you for making me realize that there really is more to life than clothes, make-up and being rich. I really appreciate what you've given me. If you want money," Brooke opened up her purse and held out a crisp 10-dollar note. She knew it was mean but she'd endangered her relationship with Lucas over this stupid meeting, "There you go. You can buy a cup of coffee and the latest issue of _Vogue_. You're wearing last year's colors," Brooke gave her mother a small grin before walking off and into her hotel room.

Brooke literally ran through the corridors of the hotel until she reached her room, Slipping the keycard in to unlock the door, she reached for her cellphone and asked for the number of an airline. As she booked herself on the first available flight back to Tree Hill, she gathered her still-as-unpacked suitcase and other belongings and placed them by the door of her room.

After booking the ticket, she called the front desk to ask if her mother had gone yet, and upon it being confirmed, decided it safe enough to venture out and grab a cab.

As the cab driver helped load her suitcases in the taxi, she dialed Lucas' number, but it went straight to voicemail. She sighed as she waited for the voice message to end and the tone.

"Hey, Lucas. It's me. I'm so sorry about everything, but I'm on my way home. Uh, I hope you get this. My plane will be arriving just before three. I'd really love it if you were there. I love you, bye."

Brooke gave the driver a small smile before sliding into the car. She was on her way home.

-----

"We have a problem," Lucas announced to the 'crisis committee' Peyton so affectionately called it. They faced him in interest. "Brooke's coming home early. She'll be here in a few hours."

He began to pace the room again.

"Okay, Lucas, can you stop with the walking already? You're going to make a hole in my carpet," Haley told him, "Just calm down. Everything will be alright."

"How exactly? You all have been here for thirty minutes already and still haven't come up with a solution and Brooke is coming home at three!" Lucas yelled at the group of four who had assembled.

Peyton's eyes narrowed, "You are aware that _you're_ the one who got yourself into this mess, right? I know I'm only here because I concerned about Brooke's well-being. You can go to hell for all I care," she shot back.

"Easy, Peyton," Jake warned, "Lucas didn't know what he was doing. He was so far out of it he thought _I_ was Brooke. Plus, we don't even know if he even slept with that Sarah girl."

"That doesn't excuse any of his behavior," Haley interrupted, "Cheating is cheating. Whether it's a kiss or the whole nine yards. Whatever Lucas and Sarah did or didn't do isn't going to matter to Brooke. All that will is that Lucas did _something _with her. Even if it was just a-"

"Well if Brooke hadn't ditched-"

"Hey, if he had been a little more understand-"

Lucas began getting a headache and the fact that all his friends were discussing it as if he wasn't even there was beginning to irritate the hangover that still hadn't completely vanished.

"Guys, just stop it!" he yelled, causing an immediate silence to drop over the room. "I'm standing right here."

"We're just trying to help," Nathan told him.

"Yeah, well let's stop focusing on what happened last night and focus on what's going to happen tonight if I don't come up with an explanation."

There was a brief silence before Nathan spoke, "I might be in the minority here, but maybe it is better if Brooke didn't know."

Everybody stared at him, particularly his wife who demanded an explanation from her husband.

"Well, look," Nathan began, "Lucas made a mistake - a very stupid one - and he had no idea what he was doing anyway. We don't even know for sure what happened in that room. Is it so bad if all of us just keep quiet? What Brooke doesn't know won't hurt her. It's not like he did it intentionally."

There was another silence.

"I agree." Peyton said raising her hand.

"Peyton!" Both Jake and Haley said in surprise. She shrugged, "Brooke is going to be devastated if she found out. Forgive me to try and make her life a little easier. Lucas regrets it, he still wants to be with Brooke. What's the big deal?"

"It's not honest, that's what," Haley said, "Wouldn't you want to know if Jake ever cheated on you? I know I would. Relationships are all based on honesty and I don't think it is right for Lucas to lie."

"It's not lying. It's just not telling her what happened. She doesn't even have to know he went to that party," Nathan said.

"That's not my point, Nathan. It's not just Lucas who is keeping this from her, it's all of us. And I don't want to lie or keep things from her." Haley told the group.

Peyton dipped her head slowly, beginning to agree with Haley, "Yeah, I kind of agree. I don't think I could last five minutes if I kept it from her. But I also don't want to see her hurt."

The discussion lasted a while. People kept changing their opinions and there was never a point where they all agreed. Lucas stood away from the group, preferring to listen rather than partake for fear of making them angrier at him than they already were.

Lucas wondered just what Brooke would do or say if he chose any of the options.

The best case scenario would be for her to understand and forgive him, dismissing it as just a mistake.

The worst case being that she completely cut him out of her life.

But he knew either option would result in Brooke being somewhat angry at him. He would have to brace himself for a long discussion with her.

"I guess it's Lucas' choice," Jake said finally, breaking Lucas out of his reverie.

They all turned to face Lucas who took a few moments to think before letting out a sigh.

"I love Brooke," he said, "But I don't want to have to lie. I'll tell her." he decided.

"That's very brave," Haley told her brother-in-law, "And if you need us to vouch for you and tell her that it was a drunken mistake, we will." Haley was proud of him and would leap to his defense, just as long as he was honest with Brooke.

"Same here," Peyton said and the other two boys agreed.

Lucas sighed again, "You think she'll forgive me?"

"I don't know. I hope so though," Nathan said. "For both your sakes."

Lucas nodded and looked at his watch.

"Uh, I think I'd better be going. I want to grab a shower and get out of these clothes before I pick Brooke up."

"Do you want any of us to come with you? Some back-up?" Nathan offered. Lucas shook his head.

"Uh, no. I think I'd rather do it in private." They nodded with understanding and watched silently as he left the house.

Once he'd gone, they all let out a collective sigh.

"Brace yourself," Peyton spoke, "There are going to be fireworks."

-----

Lucas didn't even bother to see if his parents were home when he idly walked into his house. His mother stopped him in his tracks as he was halfway to his room.

"Where have you been?" she asked with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I stayed over at… Jake's," he lied.

"Where did you go last night?" she asked, "I came home after dropping Brooke off to check on you but you were already gone."

Lucas didn't really want to get into the details with his mother.

"I went out," he vaguely explained. "Stayed at Jake's."

Lucas walked past his mother and she sniffed the air.

"Is that perfume?" she asked. Lucas cringed, wondering why he hadn't done the smart thing and showered at Nathan's apartment.

"I was at a party," he explained, "Lots of people there, enclosed spaces and all. I think I even have some aftershave on me too." Karen looked him in the eye before finally letting him go to his room.

"Okay," she said, "By the way, Brooke called, she's-"

"Yeah," Lucas said, "I know, I got the message. I'm going to grab a shower before I go and pick her up." With that, Lucas disappeared into his room.

Karen watched the empty hallway for a minute and wondered to herself.

Something was definitely amiss with his story. She just dreaded what it was.

Sometimes there was just too much of Dan Scott in her son.

-----

Brooke exited the terminal with her luggage in tow, anxiously searching for a familiar face. The plane had landed slightly earlier than expected – not that Brooke wasn't thankful for that since she had sat next to a guy who couldn't stop staring at her breasts – and she was worried that she'd have to wait at the airport for a while until Lucas showed up.

_If he shows up_, she thought to herself, hoping that Lucas wasn't still mad.

She'd spent the entire time on the flight figuring out an apology, and trying to avoid the lecherous stare of the creepy guy next to her.

Finally, she caught a glimpse of a tall, sandy haired man who gave her a small smile as he caught sight of her.

They both hesitated, staring at each other just for a few moments, both trying to pluck up the courage to make the first move.

After what felt like a lifetime to Brooke, she broke out into a huge grin and ran towards him, her luggage forgotten a few feet away and leapt into his arms. He reeled backwards with the unexpected gesture.

"Hey you," he managed to whisper. Brooke held onto his neck tightly, tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she told him, "I should have listened to you and not gone to New York," she pulled away from him so she could see his face. "Can you ever forgive me?" Brooke pleaded.

Lucas looked at the hopeful expression on her face and gulped. On his way to the airport, he'd tried to figure out the best way to break the news of his supposed infidelity. He had been fully prepared to face the consequences, but the look on her face and just holding her in his arms, reminded him of what he could lose.

"Yeah," he said, "I forgive you."

Her smile brightened and she kissed him before jumping out of his arms and picking up her luggage before they walked hand in hand out of the airport.

For Brooke, things were back to the way they were.

But for Lucas, he knew that things could only get worse.

**To Be Continued…**


	27. More Than I Can Take

_Sorry for the slight delay. Happy 4th of July to all Americans reading this, and enjoy this chapter. _

**Chapter Twenty Seven: More Than I Can Take**

Haley James-Scott and Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer stood outside the door of the Scott mansion. They were unsure of what sight would greet them as they waited for someone to open the door.

It had been a day since Brooke had returned from New York and Lucas had vowed to tell her the truth about what happened at Tim's party. Since neither of them had heard from Brooke since, they weren't sure what exactly had gone on.

The two friends waited patiently for the door to open, armed with tissues, ice-cream and man-bashing music. Their usual 'crisis kit'.

Brooke opened the door and greeted them both with a smile – not the weepy, distressed and angry Brooke they'd half-expected to find.

"Hey!" she said giving them both a hug and allowing them in. While Brooke's back was turned, Peyton and Haley gave each other a confused look. Brooke began talking about some movie she'd been watching as she led them to her room and flopped down on her bed.

"You look… happy," Peyton said. Brooke frowned slightly with confusion.

"Thank you?" she said, "So do you, Peyton." Brooke replied to her friend's statement.

"Didn't Lucas tell you?" Haley blurted out, extremely confused with why Brooke was smiling widely if Lucas had told her about Sarah. Peyton nudged Haley as a warning.

"Tell me what?" Brooke questioned.

"That we're taking you out to dinner on your birthday. All of us," Peyton quickly covered. Haley nodded and Brooke's grin grew wider.

"That is so cool! I can't wait," Brooke said, "I have had the worst weekend," she groaned.

"Really?" Peyton asked. Brooke nodded.

"Yeah, it turns out my parents only wanted to see me to see if they could have my trust fund. Like that was going to happen!" Brooke rolled her eyes.

"And Lucas?" Haley ventured. Brooke smiled again.

"Oh, he's been amazing. He totally forgave me for that stupid mistake I made. I hope I can make it up to him. What do you think I should do?" she asked. Haley and Peyton were virtually speechless.

Lucas hadn't told Brooke a thing.

Brooke frowned, "What's that?" she questioned as she eyed the 'crisis kit'.

Haley blushed, "Oh, I went shopping."

Brooke brightened, "Ooooh, I love shopping. What did you buy?" Haley clutched the bag to her chest before Brooke could reach for it.

"Just groceries. Speaking of which, I have ice cream in the bag so I'm going to use your freezer," she said. Brooke nodded and Haley quickly left the room.

"What's up with her?" Brooke asked Peyton, who gave a shrug and forced a smile.

-----

After putting the melting ice cream in the freezer, Haley spotted Lucas walking into the house.

Her eyes narrowed and she marched up to him, hitting him upside the head.

"Hey!" he protested as he rubbed it, "What's the matter with you?" He grimaced.

"Me? What's the matter with _you_?" Haley questioned, thoroughly irritated with her brother-in-law. "Why is Brooke smiling? You were supposed to tell her!"

Lucas clamped a hand over Haley's mouth, "Shhhh!" he hissed. Haley bit his hand and he yelped in pain. "Hey, that hurt!"

"Good!" Haley said through gritted teeth. "You deserve it!"

"Look, I decided that maybe Nathan raised a valid point. I want Brooke happy and I want Brooke with me. Is that so bad?" Lucas asked. Haley didn't say anything. "You haven't said anything, have you?"

Haley shook her head, "No, we haven't. But just so you know, we're all taking Brooke out to dinner for her birthday."

"That's a great idea," Lucas agreed.

"Haleeeeeeeeey!" Brooke called from her room, "What's taking you so long?"

"I'd better go," Haley said pointing in the direction of Brooke. Lucas nodded.

"Thanks, Haley. For not saying anything," Lucas said gratefully.

"I didn't do it for you, Lucas," she replied. "And we're eating at _Du Jour_."

"Really? That place is kind of expensive," Lucas said scratching his head. Haley's lips curled into a small smile.

"I know. That's why _you're _paying," she told him before disappearing down the hall.

-----

"I can't believe Lucas didn't tell her," Haley complained as she and Peyton walked down the halls of the school. "Doesn't he know he's making things even worse?"

Peyton shrugged, "Well, Lucas has never been one to listen to anyone else. He plays by his own rules – though I thought that being with Brooke was changing him."

"It was." Haley noted, "I thought it was admirable the way he was going to face up to his mistakes. But I guess he chickened out."

"To be fair, it's not like the two of them have long left anyway. He's going to college in a few months. Either way, we're going to be dealing with a broken-hearted Brooke anyway," Peyton said.

"Well, I, for one, am a firm believer in true love. Maybe they could have a long distance relationship. Sometimes it works," Haley sighed. She knew she was a hopeless romantic, and because she'd experienced her own fairy tale, gave her the belief that others could do so too.

Peyton scoffed, "Yeah right. He couldn't even deal a _night_ without Brooke. How many skanky hoes are there going to be when he can only see Brooke every other weekend?"

"Speaking of skanky hoes…" Haley trailed off as they stopped a small distance away from a familiar blonde, "There's the one that started it all."

"Sarah Ford." Peyton said in disgust as she watched Sarah draping herself over one of the football players.

"Remind me to keep her away from Nathan," Haley muttered. "God, I hate her."

"Come on," Peyton said as the football player disentangled himself from her clutches and left her alone.

Peyton dragged Haley towards Sarah and the two cornered her.

"What do you want?" Sarah frowned.

"We've got a bone to pick with you," Peyton said.

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Did I sleep with one of your boyfriends?" she questioned, her eyes flicking between the two girls.

"No, but you slept with our friend's," Haley retorted. "Do you not even remember?" Sarah laughed.

"Honey, I sleep with a lot of guys. You're going to have to help me out here." Sarah told them.

Peyton shook her head, "You're really a piece of work, you know that? It's people like you who ruin solid relationships."

"They wouldn't really be solid relationships if they managed to get to me now, would they?" Sarah asked.

"Of course not, if the right amount of anger and alcohol are involved. He was practically unconscious! That's almost rape!" Haley said, keeping her voice down so that no-one could hear them. Sarah just rolled her eyes.

"Okay, whatever. You guys have a beef with me, but obviously your friend doesn't, which generally means she doesn't know. If you were such good friends, then why lie to her?"

Haley and Peyton exchanged a look.

"Hey guys," Brooke called as she came up to them. She looked at Sarah and frowned, "Who is this?"

Haley and Peyton tried to articulate an appropriate answer.

'_Hey Brooke, this is the slut who slept with Lucas while you were out of town. Of course, you don't know about that because we're all lying to you'_.

"I'm Sarah," she extended a hand out to Brooke, who shook it.

"Brooke Davis." The name triggered some sort of recognition in Sarah and she smiled.

"Really?" Sarah said, looking between Haley and Peyton who were hoping the Earth would swallow them up before things got any worse.

Unfortunately for them, it did.

"Over here!" Brooke called out to Lucas as she waved him over to where they were. He had no choice but to comply, facing a very awkward situation between him, Brooke, Haley, Peyton and Sarah – who seemed to be enjoying every moment of this.

"Oh, geez," Haley muttered under her breath.

"This is Sarah," she introduced, "Sarah, this is-"

"Lucas Scott," Sarah finished with a smile.

"You guys know each other?" Brooke asked.

"I've seen him around," Sarah said just as the bell rang out. Haley, Lucas and Peyton all let out a collective sigh of relief.

Saved by the bell.

"That's my cue," Sarah said to the group, extending her hand towards Brooke, "It was _really_ nice to meet you, Brooke." Brooke nodded.

"You too, I guess." Brooke replied, as Sarah sauntered down the hall. "So… why are you hanging out with her?" she pointed her thumb in Sarah's direction.

"Oh, she's in my History class. I just needed to give her some notes," Peyton lied, hating every single minute of it. However, Brooke seemed to buy it.

"Okay," she said before holding Lucas' arm, "Come on, Broody; you can walk me to Biology," she grinned. He nodded and the couple began making their way in the opposite direction – leaving Haley and Peyton standing in the middle of the corridor.

"That's it," Peyton exclaimed, "If he doesn't tell her – I will."

Haley ran her fingers through her hair, "Yeah, I think I'm right behind you on that one."

Peyton linked an arm with Haley's and Haley rested her head on Peyton's shoulder.

"Monday's suck."

-----

By the time Thursday night rolled around. Lucas still hadn't told Brooke the truth.

There had been plenty of opportunities for him to come clean but each time he tried to, she gave him a big smile or said something that made him reconsider.

The last thing he wanted to do was put their whole future together in jeopardy.

But the strain of keeping a secret from the one person he could usually be honest with was beginning to show. Brooke had noticed he was becoming more and more distracted, he didn't want to have sex as often as usual, and wasn't as forthcoming when it came to talking to her.

Truth be told, she was starting to grow frustrated and wondered what the cause of the change in his behavior was.

So she turned to the only person that Lucas could come clean with.

"Nathan!" she called through his apartment as she entered without knocking. Nathan exited out of the bathroom, disheveled and with a towel wrapped haphazardly around his waist.

"What?" he asked urgently, "What's wrong?"

When Nathan had heard the door open and the cry of his name, he'd immediately stopped his shower and ran out of the bathroom, his mind flitting to the possibility of something bad happening to Haley, Lucas or anyone else he loved.

"I need to talk to you," Brooke said making herself at home. "It's about Lucas."

"Oh," Nathan said, wondering if Lucas had told her the truth.

'_Of course he hasn't told her yet,_ he thought to himself, _'if he had, Brooke would be throwing things right about now'._

Nevertheless, Nathan's eyes flicked momentarily around the room, hoping that she wasn't sitting next to any breakable things or weapons. He eyed the vase on the coffee table and gulped.

"What about Lucas?" he asked, keeping a hand tightly around his towel.

"Have you noticed him acting… weird lately? Like distracted and stuff?" she asked.

Nathan shrugged, "Kind of, I guess. But that could just be because of basketball and stuff."

"Maybe…" Brooke contemplated this and noticed Nathan looking rather uncomfortable, "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Me? I'm fine," Nathan said before changing his mind, "Actually, do you mind while I go put on some clothes? This isn't exactly comfortable for me and Haley will kill me if she sees a trail of water on the floor."

"Sure," Brooke said as Nathan gratefully nodded his head and began to walk towards his bedroom.

He frowned as he noticed Brooke following him.

"Do you mind?" he asked when they reached the threshold of his bedroom.

"Not at all," Brooke said without moving.

"This is usually the part where you leave so I can get dressed." Nathan prompted. Brooke pouted.

"Come on! I've seen you naked before. It's nothing new. What's skin between two people who could almost be related?" she asked. Nathan raised and eyebrow and she surrendered, stepping back and allowing Nathan to close the door and have some privacy.

Brooke waited outside the door for a few moments before walking off to the living room. She looked along the rows of photos the couple had arranged neatly on the fireplace and smiled. There was a few of the couple, one at their wedding and two other ones Brooke couldn't really remember where they had been taken. Most of the others were of family and friends; Haley's parents and family, Lucas and Nathan when they were boys, Haley, Peyton and Brooke, and the newlyweds with Lucas and herself.

She picked that one up and studied it for a moment. It had been taken shortly after she and Lucas had officially started dating and they'd gone on bowling with Haley and Nathan.

Lucas had teased Brooke relentlessly throughout the whole thing because she kept getting gutter balls. However, Brooke got the last laugh when she managed to beat him at a car racing game in the arcade and he'd pouted all the way home.

Brooke smiled at the memory as she replaced the photo back on the fireplace.

"Reminiscing?" Nathan asked from his position at the end on the living room. Brooke shrugged.

"Yeah, we had some good times," she said, "We should go bowling again. We haven't done that in a while."

"You okay?" Nathan questioned as he sat in a nearby chair. "You seem a little down."

Brooke waved a hand dismissively, "This thing with Lucas is weighing me down a little. I can't help but thing I royally screwed up things by going to New York. Has he said anything?"

Nathan shook his head, "No, not really."

"This is all my fault. I've apologized so many times and I thought he was okay with it. I thought he'd gotten over it."

"It's not New York, Brooke," Nathan interrupted. "It's just… it's a lot of things. None of them are your fault," he reassured.

Brooke nodded and sighed, resting her head against the headrest of the armchair she was sitting in.

"I just wish he could tell me what's bugging him. He used to. Now we hardly ever talk. He doesn't even want to have sex half the time!" she complained. Nathan held up a hand.

"Whoa, whoa! Way too much information than I needed, Brooke," he groaned. Brooke couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry. Just… leave my brother's sex life out of _any_ conversation you and I might have, okay?"

Brooke chuckled and nodded.

"You really think it'll be okay?" she asked once again.

"Yeah," Nathan agreed, "Just give him time, okay?"

Brooke nodded, "Thanks Nathan," she told him.

"It's okay," he replied. "Want to play some PlayStation?" he suggested. Brooke sighed and nodded.

"Only if I can choose what we play," Brooke said as she scrambled towards the stack of PlayStation games.

Nathan groaned, "Brooke, we are not playing '_The Simpsons Hit And Run' _again!"

**To Be Continued…**


	28. And We Tumble To The Ground

_I was meant to post this yesterday, but considering what happened in London that morning, I had to delay it. I live in London, and the day previously, I was near some of the places that were bombed. My dad also works less than two minutes away from where the first bomb was set off and I spent most of Thursday trying to get hold of him. Fortunately, he's okay, but needless to say, the event hit way too close to home.However we must move on and not let those responsible stop us going about our daily lives. My thoughts and prayers are with all those with loved ones in and around London, and whose lives were affected. _

**Chapter Twenty Eight: And We Tumble To The Ground**

As the morning of Brooke's birthday dawned, Lucas spent the early morning hours watching Brooke sleep and thinking about what he was going to do.

She seemed peaceful and happy as she lay sleeping, a small smile resting on her lips, as Lucas softly ran his finger across her cheek.

The more Lucas watched Brooke, the more he realized that he didn't want to lose her. But he knew that the guilt of what he'd done was something he couldn't bear to carry around with him any longer.

He was definitely in a dilemma.

But it was Brooke's birthday and he was determined to make it special for her and try to forget about the mistakes he'd made.

He absent-mindedly drew circles with his finger on her back, slowly waking her up. She yawned slightly and her eyes fluttered open, her lips growing into a smile as she looked at her boyfriend.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," he replied, "Happy birthday," he greeted. Her smile became wider.

"Thank you," she told him, "I think I've got my present already," she said.

"Oh really?" he raised an eyebrow. She nodded.

"Yup, waking up next to you is the best way to start my life as a seventeen year old," she said edging closer to him and planting a kiss on his lips, "It's the best way to start every morning… we'll _almost_ every morning," she told him.

Since they lived with Dan and Karen, spending the night together was difficult and against Karen's 'ground rules' that she'd enforced when she'd discovered that they were dating. However, you couldn't keep two horny teenagers, who lived under the same roof, apart every night so they managed to find some time to spend together.

"I like waking up next to you too," Lucas told her. "So, you want to get up and open your presents?" he questioned. She thought about it for a moment.

"No," she sighed, "I just want to stay here for a while. It's still early"

Lucas chuckled, "I would have thought you'd jump at the chance of opening presents."

She shrugged, "It sounds silly but… it just feels like it's been too long since we just stayed like this," she told him. Lucas nodded.

"Okay, it's your birthday. We'll just stay here then," he kissed the top of her head and the two cuddled against each other as the time slowly ticked by.

-----

Brooke walked into the kitchen to see a table full of presents waiting for her. She gasped in surprise and excitement as she rushed towards them.

"Are these all for me?" she asked Karen who gave her a warm smile.

"Well, I don't think anybody else is seventeen," Karen told her as she kissed Brooke's cheek, "Happy birthday, sweetheart," she said sincerely. "Dan has already gone to work, but he wishes you a happy birthday too. We'll celebrate a little later on tonight," Karen informed her.

"Can I open them?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course, I have the camcorder right here," Karen said picking up the device. "Are you not going to wait for Lucas?" she asked.

"I'm here," Lucas called as he too entered the kitchen with a gift-wrapped present in his hand. He handed it to Brooke with a kiss on her cheek.

"I guess I'll open this first," Brooke said as she unwrapped it carefully to reveal a lovely red dress. She pulled it out and both she and Karen looked at it in awe. "Lucas, this is gorgeous," she said. "Thank you."

"It's for you to wear tonight," he told her as she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"I'll definitely wear it," she promised as Lucas reached out and pulled out another present from the pile.

"This is from me too," he told her. Brooke frowned slightly.

"Okay," she said as she began to undo the extravagant bow that decorated the front. As she opened the box, Lucas watched her eyes widen in surprise. She slammed the box shut.

"Lucas, this is jewelry," she told him.

"I know," he said.

"No, Lucas, this is diamond jewelry. And not just a pair of earrings, but the whole nine yards. Earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, a ring… this is too much," she told him. It took a lot to humble Brooke Davis but this took the biscuit.

Lucas nervously looked at his mother who was also surprised by the gift.

"You didn't have to buy me such an expensive present, and you got me the dress too," Brooke told him. He shrugged.

"Well, you deserve it," he told her, "I just wanted you to have a nice birthday," he said, suddenly feeling a little put out that she didn't appreciate it.

Fortunately, she gave him another kiss and sighed, "Thank you, Lucas. I appreciate it. It just surprised me, that's all," she said.

Brooke then turned her attention on opening the other presents. Lucas sighed in relief. The truth was that his guilt over Tim's party and not telling her the truth had resulted in him trying to compensate it by splurging on expensive gifts. Not that she wasn't worth it – he just thought that by punishing his bank balance and treating her like a princess would be enough to relieve his guilt.

But it didn't seem to do anything but make him feel even guiltier. He saw his mother looking at him questioningly.

She'd seen something like this before. Years ago, Dan had cheated on her with someone he'd met in college, Deb Lee, and for months afterwards he kept buying Karen lavish presents to mask his guilt and try and make it up to her.

The scene between Brooke and Lucas moments earlier had caused Karen to have an eerily familiar sensation, and though she tried to shake it off, it wouldn't leave her.

She caught Brooke looking at all the gift tags on the presents.

"Oh, uh, Brooke. Your parents haven't sent anything yet. But I'm sure it's on its way," Karen tried to reassure.

"Oh, don't worry, Karen. I know they haven't sent me anything and I don't want them too. I wasn't expecting anything from them anyway," she said, "I was just looking for…"

"-this?" Karen pulled out an envelope and handed it to Brooke, "Nana Davis, right?" she asked. Brooke nodded and accepted the envelope, looking at the numbers on the check.

"Good ol' Nana Davis," Brooke said, "She always comes up with the goods."

Out of everything that she could possibly receive for her birthday, Brooke's favorite and most valuable was always the gift from Nana Davis. Though she'd been dead for five years already, her lawyers always sent Brooke the allocated amount of money each year for her birthday, plus a family heirloom.

This was Nana Davis' way of ensuring that her only grandchild could lead a comfortable life without needing to rely on her negligent parents.

It took Brooke a further half an hour to open all the presents that were left for her, before Lucas dragged her off to drive them both to school.

There, they were greeted by a barrage of balloons and presents from the cheerleading squad.

It took Brooke a while to get through them all, and thank the various members. Once they'd dispersed, Brooke barely had time to breathe before Nathan, Haley, Peyton and Jake ambushed her.

"Happy birthday!" they all cried as they rushed towards Brooke with hugs and presents. Haley held a chocolate cake in her hand.

"Oooh, cake!" Tim said as he approached them all and tried to swipe some icing until Haley slapped his hand. "Ow," he complained nursing his hand.

"This cake is for Brooke and lunchtime. I've already had to keep Nathan away from it three times this morning." Haley said.

"You guys, this is awesome. I've never had anyone go to all this trouble just for me. It's too much," Broke said.

"Well if it's too much…" Nathan began to walk away with the presents until Brooke stopped him.

"I didn't say I couldn't open more presents," Brooke said making a grab for the one wrapped in pink paper and a white bow. "Okay, this is heavy!" she exclaimed as Lucas helped her hold it.

"That's from Nathan and me," Haley informed her as she opened it carefully. It was a bowling ball with the word 'Tigger' written over it.

"This is amazing!" Brooke said.

"Well, for some reason Nathan said you would love it," Haley explained. Brooke grinned and hugged them both.

"Okay," Peyton interrupted, "It's mine and Jake's turn," she said as she handed Brooke an envelope.

"Ooh, a day out at the spa!" Brooke squealed in delight, "Just what I need!" she said as she thanked them both with a hug.

"So, what did Lucas buy you?" Tim asked Brooke.

"Well, Broody here bought me a dress and some diamond jewelry – of which you'll see tonight," Brooke told them. Lucas shifted uncomfortably as all attention was forced on to him.

"It was nothing," Lucas dismissed, "Uh, Brooke, why don't I help you put all those presents in your locker," he suggested as Brooke handed him some of the gifts and balloons.

He gave the group a quick glance before following his girlfriend into the school building.

"Diamond jewelry?" Haley said, "Is anyone else thinking it's a little bit…" she trailed off as she tried to find the words.

"Guilt-ridden?" Peyton suggested, "Oh, yeah. I guess this means Lucas is going to keep his mouth shut – and his wallet open."

"We need to tell her," Haley said, "I can't keep watching Lucas dig himself into a bigger hole. I hate having to lie to her all the time."

"I agree," Peyton said, "But it's her birthday. Let her be happy for a little while longer. The last thing she deserves is to have a bombshell dropped on her today."

-----

Later that night, Brooke Davis was having the time of her life. She and her best friends were in one of the most expensive restaurants in their small town, and she was feeling a million dollars.

She had loved the way people turned their heads as she walked into the restaurant. Dripping with diamond jewelry and dressed in a fantastic red dress that hugged every curve of her body, Brooke looked nothing short of amazing.

And she was loving every minute of it.

Brooke giggled at something Nathan and Haley were joking about and champagne threatened to spill out of her mouth. The whole table was in hysterics and Brooke stole a glance at her boyfriend, who seemed a lot more subdued.

She reached out and touched his hand, leaning close to him; "Are you okay?" she questioned.

Lucas forced a smile on his face, "I'm fine. I was just… thinking."

"Is it the restaurant? I know it's expensive and we could totally go some place else. Haley told me you picked it out and-"

Lucas placed a hand over Brooke's, "It's not the money, Brooke. You're worth every penny. It's nothing, really. I was just thinking about you and how lucky I am to have you in my life." Brooke smiled.

"Me too. I never thought I could be this happy. I love you so much," Brooke told him.

"Me too," he said as he gave her a quick kiss.

"What are you two whispering about?" Jake asked the conspiring couple opposite him. Brooke and Lucas glanced up at him.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she winked as she returned to the group at the table, still resting her hand comfortably on Lucas'.

Throughout the night, everyone seemed to be having a good time, especially Brooke. Lucas, however, still couldn't shake off the guilt that kept coming back to him every time he looked at Brooke, the dress she was wearing or the jewelry that adorned her body.

He also tried to ignore the looked Haley and Peyton kept giving him through out the night.

If looks could kill; he would be six feet under by now.

And he half-hoped he was.

-----

As the night wore on, Jake and Peyton apologetically left after Jake received a phone call about Jenny's temperature rising, leaving Lucas and Brooke with Nathan and Haley.

However, less than twenty minutes later, Haley complained of a headache and under Brooke's insistence that she should, agreed to let Nathan take her home.

Once they'd left, Brooke took a sip of her drink and smiled over the top of it at Lucas. He forced a smile back at her.

"You know, I was worried we left on bad terms last week," she said setting the drink back down. "I felt really bad for leaving you like that, and you have to know that it wasn't that I chose my parents over you, Lucas. I would never do that. I just felt… I don't know, like I owed them at least that. What you did for them at Christmas made me realize that it's because of them that I moved here and met you. I had to thank them for that."

"Brooke-" Lucas began.

"Let me finish," she held a hand up to stop him, "Lucas, I've had an incredible time these last few months and a lot of that is because of you. The whole weekend was spent realizing that I really do love you, and I was so scared that I'd ruined things. Just us being here now means that we're stronger than that."

"Brooke…" he began again, nervously playing with his napkin.

"This is shaping up to be the best birthday ev-"

"I cheated on you," Lucas blurted out. She stared at him.

"What?" she blinked a dozen times as she tried to understand what he was saying.

"I'm sorry," he continued, "I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that."

Brooke tried to form something to say, not quite sure whether she'd still missed something.

"Last week - just after we had the fight – I was mad. I was angry and frustrated at the way we left things and I ended up at this party. All I wanted to do was forget about the argument and I had a little too much to drink. A lot much, actually. And there was this girl; I mean she was just there. She didn't care that I was blinding drunk and she kept letting me call her Brooke. I thought she was you and… I don't even remember sleeping with her. All I remember is waking up at Nate's and getting yelled at by Haley for being so stupid. And I was. Brooke, I was so stupid. I made the biggest ass of myself and I would take it back if I could. I wanted to tell you when you got home but you were so excited about your birthday and being back that I thought it'd just ruin things and I didn't want to tell you like this or here or now. I just… Brooke, I'm so sorry."

Lucas apologized, knowing he was rambling and making a bigger idiot of himself, but he feared that if he didn't get it out; it would consume him and eat him up inside.

He gulped, looking at Brooke who sat there motionless.

"Brooke?" he prompted.

He expected her to get up at any moment and scream at him. Or burst into tears. Or just show any type of emotion.

Instead, she just uttered three words;

"Take me home."

Lucas hesitated, still waiting for an emotional outburst but nothing came.

"Okay," he said simply. He helped her with her chair and her jacket and led her to the front desk, where he paid the tab.

Brooke didn't say a word or do anything but silently wait for him to finish.

He took her to the car and helped her inside, chewing the inside of his lip as he wondered what would happen on the way home.

But there was nothing.

Lucas anxiously skipped through the radio stations, just for something to do while Brooke stared out of the window impassively.

"Leave it," Brooke said breaking the silence.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"The radio station," she said, "Just leave it."

Lucas obliged and the two continued the journey home, listening to whatever crap was coming through the speakers.

Lucas knew Brooke didn't really like the type of music playing, but guessed she was fed up of his constant station-hopping.

Finally, the pair pulled into the drive of the Scott home and sat in silence momentarily, Lucas wondered if she'd say anything now.

Still, nothing came.

It scared him.

Brooke never hid her feelings, whether good or bad. She always made sure her opinion was heard.

Brooke suddenly let herself out of the car, and Lucas opened his own side and hopped out. She waited patiently by the front door for him to open it, and the moment he did, she pushed through and walked briskly through the house, heading for her room.

"Brooke!" Lucas called after her, as he followed, "Brooke!"

She didn't heed his calls and quickly flew into her room, slamming the door to tell him that he wasn't welcome.

He knocked on the door, "Brooke, let me in. We can talk about this." He pleaded.

Karen came in from the kitchen where she was adding the finishing touches to Brooke's cake, having seen Brooke and Lucas briskly walk past her as if they hadn't seen her.

"What's going on?" she asked her son.

"Brooke and I sort of had a fight. She won't let me in," he told her quickly.

"A fight about what?" she asked. Lucas didn't reply but just gave his mother a look.

"Brooke, please let me in," he asked again, "I'm sorry."

"Let me-"

"Mom, no! Look, I can deal with this, okay?" Lucas shot back irritably. He didn't mean to snap but he wanted to deal with it without his mother's interference.

He knew that if his mom found out about what he'd done, it would prove that he hadn't changed from his old ways and he didn't want both his girlfriend and mother disappointed in him.

Karen backed off slightly, "Okay, Lucas. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen."

Karen disappeared and Lucas continued knocking on Brooke's door.

-----

After a further five minutes without a reply, he decided to go in from their interconnecting bathroom.

He was stunned to find her sitting on the edge of her bed, motionless and silent.

"Brooke?" he hazarded. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him and laughed slightly, "What kind of question is that?" her voice was quiet and hoarse.

"I'm sorry."

"You slept with another girl just a few hours after we had a fight, all my friends kept it from me for a whole week, and I was told all this in a restaurant on my _birthday_. And you're just 'sorry'?" she laughed again. "This is unbelievable." She looked up at her ceiling to try and stop the tears from falling.

She knew if even one fell, then there was no stopping her.

"I don't know what to say or do to make things better," Lucas said, a lump forming at his throat.

"Well you can start by getting the hell out of my room. I don't want to see you or speak to you," Brooke put her head in her hands. "I think I'm going to be sick," she said with a sigh.

"Do you want aspirin or something?" he asked.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, ignoring his offer.

"I wasn't. I was drunk."

"That's a pathetic excuse, Lucas. You know that. Did you… did you even realize how stupid it was for you to go and get drunk? Were you even thinking about me?"

"Yeah, Brooke," he took a few steps closer to her, "I was thinking about how much I screwed up with you by not being supportive and then I screwed up things even more by sleeping with Sarah-"

"You know her name?" Brooke cried incredulously.

"Nathan told me afterwards. Brooke, I am so sorry, please believe me," he knelt by her side, "I just want to make things right."

She turned her head to face him, her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed.

"You're sorry?" she asked, "I spent the whole weekend in New York thinking about you. Thinking about how to make it all up to you. Believing that I was the one who'd screwed everything up. That was a waste of time," She stood up, forcing him to stand up too.

"Brooke-"

She poked him in the chest as she moved forward, "Don't tell me you're sorry. Don't say stuff you don't mean. Just get the hell out of my life, Lucas." Her bottom lip quivered, but she was determined she wasn't going to cry.

Not in front of him.

"I don't want to speak to you, or hear your stupid apologies anymore. We're over."

Lucas backed away slowly, feeling his back hit against her door.

"You're angry," he told her.

"I'm sorry, did you expect me to be understanding and tell you that it doesn't matter that you slept with some random girl five hours after we fight? It's not happening. I'm not going to let a scumbag like you treat me like a boomerang. I don't come back," she said in a tone he'd never heard before. "Just get out."

Lucas hesitated for a moment, hoping that she'd change her mind but she just looked at him, biting her lip to stop herself from falling apart. Reluctantly Lucas opened the door and began walking out of it. He was barely out of the doorway when the door slammed inches from his face.

Brooke stared at the door and let out a huge sigh and let everything sink in. Within moments, she was sitting in a crumbled heap on the floor with relentless tears streaming down her face.

----

"Mom?"

Karen Scott looked up from the cake she had put in the middle of the coffee table in the living room. She wasn't sure if she should do so since the two of them had returned without speaking to one another. But she hoped that by now they had made up and they could continue the celebrations.

But it was not to be.

"Yeah?" she asked. He struggled to keep his tears at bay.

"Can you… can you help me?" he asked, "She won't talk to me and I screwed up everything."

Karen's heart went out to him. The last time he's cried in front of her was when he was twelve and broke his leg the week before one of his big basketball games.

And now he was standing in front of his mother, pleading for help.

"Sure. What do you want me to do?"

"Can you talk to her for me? Tell her that I'm really sorry and that I love her?" he asked. Karen nodded.

"Yeah. You just wait here, okay?" Lucas nodded and slumped into the nearest seat.

Karen looked at him fleetingly as she made her way to Brooke's room. Knocking gently, she didn't bother waiting for a reply as she walked in.

Brooke sat in a corner of her room, her knees clutched to her chest and her head resting against the wall, tears streaming down her face.

"Brooke, honey?" Karen asked as she approached the young girl. She sighed and sat next to her, "Aw, honey. What happened?" she asked.

Brooke allowed Karen to sit beside her and rested her head on Karen's shoulder.

"I hate him," Brooke choked out through her tears, "I just _hate _him."

Karen rubbed Brooke's arm.

"That can't be true, can it? You two were so in love. You just had a fight, you ca-"

"He cheated," Brooke told Karen. The words barely leaving her mouth before she broke down into more tears.

Karen didn't know what to say. Her worst fears had been realized. Her son was following in his father's footsteps and she couldn't be more disappointed.

"How could he do this?" Brooke asked Karen.

"I don't know, honey," Karen said, "I don't know."

-----

In the living room, Lucas stared at the cake that had been decorated for Brooke. It stood alone on the coffee table; the white icing so carefully written with the words 'Happy Birthday Brooke!' seemed so redundant now.

He wondered what Brooke was telling his mother, and wondered what his mother thought of him.

Lucas sighed, wondering what kind of idiot he was to have first made the mistake, then lied about it, and finally to have told Brooke on her birthday.

Finally he wondered whether Brooke could ever forgive him. He longed to see a smile on her face – like the one that had been on her face in the morning when she'd woken up next to him, or a mere forty-five minutes ago when she was telling him how much she loved him,

Part of him knew that he would probably never get to see that part of Brooke again. The part that whispered in his ear, or ran her fingers through his hair when she was bored.

Lucas rubbed the bridge of his nose in an attempt to take back the nightmarish week. It had definitely taken its toll on the eighteen year old boy.

Nothing to change the fact that Lucas had made a mistake. He just hoped against hope that Brooke could understand that and they could get through it together.

But the future for both Brooke and Lucas seemed bleak. And very much alone.

**To Be Continued…**

_That was a very long chapter. Sorry. Please tell me what you thought. _


	29. Take Your Memories, I Don't Need Them

_Inspiration for this chapter is from 'You'll Think Of Me' by Keith Urban. _

**Chapter Twenty Nine: Take Your Memories, I Don't Need Them**

Karen watched helplessly as Brooke ran in and out of her room, throwing items and clothing into the hallway.

'The Lucas Pile'.

When Karen had woken up that morning after a sleepless night, she'd gone to check on the young girl.

She'd found her ransacking her room for any of Lucas' belongings and throwing out the items in the hall.

When a puffy-eyed and exhausted Lucas opened his bedroom door, he'd been the ideal target for a flying sneaker which barely flew over the top of his head. It had been met with an unsatisfied growl from the girl and she'd slammed her door in his face.

Any attempts Lucas made to talk to her went unheard or meant another item was thrown at him.

Karen was in awe at how mauch of Lucas' stuff had found their way into Brooke's room.

"What's going on?" Dan asked as he joined his wife in spectating Brooke's actions, "Are we having a yard sale?" Dan was a little bleary eyed from going out on an impromptu business meeting with some Japanese clients and had missed the previous night's events.

Karen sighed, "No, not quite." She toyed with the idea of telling her husband but decided it may be best if he didn't know at the present moment.

Lucas bravely ventured out of his room and confidentally tried to talk to Brooke.

"Brooke, can I jus-"

A CD was thrown from Brooke's room and narrowly missed Lucas, who put his basketball skills to use by dodging it. It made a sound as it hit the wooden floor and cracked.

Lucas cringed as his Travis CD case lay smashed on his floor.

"Brooke!"

This time a shirt silenced Lucas as it flew halfway and then gracefully landed on top of Lucas' head. He pulled it off and tossed it to the ground.

Reluctantly giving in, Lucas decided to let her cool down slightly as he walked back into his room and shut the door.

Dan's eyes darted from both rooms and then finally on the pile of Lucas' clothes.

"Did I miss something?" he asked before all the pieces began to fit. "Are they together?" he asked his wife.

"They were," Karen informed him, her eyes welling up with tears again, "But they broke up last night."

Karen began moving towards the kitchen.

"How long as this been going on?" Dan demanded to know, although he had a pretty good idea, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Karen sighed as she stopped in front of the refrigerator, "Dan…"

"Don't you think I should know? There are clear rules in this house! Or did you want them to run off and get married?" He began to grow irritated. Karen pulled out a carton of orange juice.

"Not every teenage couple go off and get married, Dan. It only happened once and you're the one who threw Nath-"

"Don't even say his name!" Dan snapped. His wife seemed a little taken aback by his outburst but soon relaxed as he rested against the kitchen counter. "No wonder Lucas hasn't been giving 110 percent on the court," he muttered. Karen gave him a look as she poured the orange juice in a tall glass.

"Is that all you care about, Dan? Have you not noticed that Lucas has been _happy_ for the last few months? I haven't seen him laugh or smile like that since before… the _incident_," she said, reminding her husband of how badly Lucas had taken the news Nathan was no longer welcome in the house. "I liked having the house full again. Having Lucas talk to us without scowling or ignoring us and that's down to being with Brooke."

"If it was so good, then why did they break up?" Dan challenged with a small smirk.

"Because," Karen said putting the carton of orange juice in the fridge, "He's _your_ son," she said coolly as she breezed past Dan.

-----

Dan watched his wife slowly make her way towards Brooke's room. She knocked softly and opened the door cautiously to avoid any more flying items.

"I thought I told to fu-" Brooke's tirade came to an abrupt end when she realized it was Karen and not Lucas, "Oh, hey Karen." Brooke said feeling nervous all of a sudden.

"I brought you something to drink," Karen extended her arm towards Brooke. Brooke eyed it before shaking her head.

"No thanks. I don't have much of an appetite today," she said. For the first time, Karen noticed how worn-out Brooke looked. Her hair was messy, her eyes were slightly puffy and she looked as if she'd aged a few years over the course of one night.

"How are you?" Karen began, setting the drink down on a nearby surface. Brooke seemed to hesitate.

"Good," Brooke insisted, "Just clearing out."

"So I see," Karen said. "Did you get any sleep?"

Brooke hesitated again.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted.

"That's understandable," Karen noted that the pictures that bordered Brooke's dressing table mirror were gone. "What happened to those pictures?"

Brooke gave a shrug, "I decided I didn't like them."

"So you threw them out?" Karen guessed.

"Oh no. I just cut out the people I didn't want in them."

Karen's eyes settled on the pile of Lucas-heads sitting in the bin.

"Oh." Karen rubbed her neck uncomfortably. "So, um, what are your plans for today?" she asked the brunette, "Because I was thinking we could go shopping or something… my treat?" she suggested.

Brooke looked up somewhat interested, but the grin that would have ardorned her face at the mention of 'shopping' with someone else's money was replaced by a small shrug.

"Maybe another time. I just… I just want everything out."

"Do you want help? I could probably help you move this stuff into boxes or something. Or put them in Lucas' room, if you like."

Again, Brooke shook her head.

"I'd rather be alone, thanks," she said.

"Are you sure? I could call Peyton-"

"No, thank you," Brooke said more forcefully. Karen nodded.

"Well, if you need me..."shesaid softly as she left the room.

Brooke sighed as she continued looking through her closet. "Found it!" she exclaimed as she pulled out the dress Lucas had bought her on their first official date.

She had kept it neatly preserved since that night. The dress being some sort of symbolic start to their relationship and holding all the promises of an everlasting love.

What a joke!

Brooke scoffed as she crumpled the fabric in her hands and threw it on the floor. She looked at it for a moment, seemingly unsatisfied with the action, before using her toe to pick the dress up and throw it further away from her.

Once Brooke had cleaned out all of the things Lucas had given her or left behind, she took out the very last items.

The red dress he'd given her the day before and the diamond jewelry that accompanied it.

Brooke had thought she was the luckiest girl in the world to receive such expensive presents from her boyfriend.

But now she knew that they were tainted with lies and bought with guilt.

Which was a shame because both the dress and jewelry looked fabulous on her.

Taking one last glance at the gifts, she placed them along with the others on the 'Lucas pile'.

She shut her bedroom door and sighed heavily, her eyes glancing around the room.

It seemed so empty now.

-----

"I'm an idiot."

"Yeah, you are."

"Nate!"

"What? Do you want me to tell you that you're not when you told the girl you love that you cheated on her… on her birthday?"

Lucas rubbed the bridge of his nose. He'd been doing that a lot lately, "I guess you're right. I just… I just want her to talk to me without throwing things at me."

"She does have the right to be angry, Luke. You broke her heart."

"I know," Lucas sighed.

"Haley wants to know what time she should come over. She tried calling Brooke's cell but she never answered," Nathan explained.

"I don't know, Hate. Mom seems to be taking a day off work today and dad said that he's taking the family out tonight for Brooke's birthday."

"But her birt-"

"I know but he seemed pretty adamant. I don't really feel up to it but he had the weird look in his eyes."

"Do you think he knows about you and Brooke?"

"If he does, he hasn't said anything. But it doesn't matter now anyway, I don't think there'll be a 'me and Brooke' by the way things are going."

"Maybe you should let her cool down a bit… or a lot. Once she talks to Hales or Peyton or something, she might come around." Nathan tried to reassure, but he wasn't completely convinced.

Unfortunately, neither was Lucas, "Yeah," he said, "Maybe."

"If you want a break, feel free to come hang out here. Or maybe you and I can go shoot some hoops and talk about it," Nathan suggested.

"We'll see," Lucas told him as someone knocked on his door, "Uh, I gotta go. I'll speak to you soon, okay?"

"Sure."

Lucas hung up the phone and opened his bedroom door, slightly surprised to see Brooke standing in front of him.

"Brooke, what-"

She held up a hand to silence him. It shook slightly.

"Don't talk, Lucas," she said curtly, "Just wanted to tell you that all your stuff is in the hallway and you need to clean it up," she ran a hand awkwardly through her hair.

"Oh, okay," he said. They stood quietly for a moment and when it looked like Lucas was going to start apologizing again, Brooke hastily changed the subject.

"There's some of my stuff in your room," she told him.

"Do you want to-"

Brooke seemed to consider it, but chickened out. It suddenly seemed too much for her to step back into his room or even be around him for too long.

Lucas noticed that she was still shaking.

"I'll grab them later, thanks," she turned on her heel and hid away in her bedroom.

-----

Lucas didn't see Brooke again until later that day when Dan arrived home early from work.

"Where are the kids?" he asked Karen. Karen pointed down to the hallway and Dan knocked on both doors, coaxing both teenagers out of their rooms. They looked at each other briefly before turning their attention on Dan.

"Everybody, get dressed," he announced, "We're going out."

"Uh, Dan, maybe we shouldn't tonight," Karen tried to dissuade him but he shook his head.

"No, I think we should," Dan said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, "After all, this is for Brooke's birthday."

"You know, I really don't fee-" Brooke held a hand to her forehead, attempting to feign a headache. Dan gave her a look before taking her hands into his.

"Sweetheart," he began putting on a sickly sweet tone, "This is for your birthday. You deserve to celebrate it. It'll only be a little while anyway."

Brooke hesitated before nodding her head. Dan broke into a smile.

"Excellent. Now I need everyone to wear something smart but casual," he instructed. "Meet me in the car in fifteen minutes."

-----

Almost forty five minutes later, the family pulled up to a big building.

"Where are we?" Karen asked her husband.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," he said cryptically as the family got out of the car. Dan led them inside the building where they were met by a man that Dan introduced them to only as 'Steve', before they were taken up a flight of stairs.

Steve opened a door and the four entered the room; three of them shocked, and the other sporting a big grin.

"Dan…" Karen said as she looked at the surroundings, "This is a photo studio."

"Yes, Karen, it is," Dan replied, the smile never faltering.

"What are we doing here?" she hissed.

"Well, I decided that to celebrate Brooke joining our family – and her birthday, of course – we should have a new family portrait taken. What do you think?" he explained.

Karen knew that it was a bad idea but she just went along with it. She didn't want to upset her husband twice in one day.

"Kids?" Dan asked. Brooke and Lucas barely glanced at each other but gave yielding nods. Dan clapped his hands together. "Then we can begin."

Their arrangement was left up to Steve who wanted them to begin with the family photograph. Karen sat on the high-standing chair with her son flanking on side, and Dan in the middle, with Brooke on the other side.

After the first few shots, everyone seemed to relax a little.

"This is a very photogenic family," Steve complimented. "Can we have the two parents together, please?"

Brooke and Lucas left the staging area and watched quietly from behind the camera.

After a few of those shots had been taken, Steve asked for a picture of Lucas and Dan, followed by one of Brooke and Karen together.

As Brooke smoothed down her skirt, Dan clapped his hands together once more.

"I have an idea," he said, "How about we have one of the children together?"

There was silence.

"That would be good," Steve agreed. "Let me just load up the camera."

Brooke looked at Karen urgently to stop it from happening, so the older woman took the opportunity to save them.

"I really don't think it's necessary," she said hastily.

"Nonsense," Dan said, "I think it's a wonderful idea. They're the most photogenic teenagers I know," he said, earning him a glare from Karen.

"I'm loaded," Steve said, "Are we going ahead?" Dan gave him a nod and Lucas made his way to the lighted area that was draped with white sheets. The two stood a short distance away from one another, each unsure of how to proceed.

"Can we have you both closer to each other?" Steve asked forcing them to stand closer together.

Lucas inched closer to Brooke.

"Can you put a hand around her waist or something?" Steve suggested, "This is supposed to be a happy occasion," he said taking a few snaps.

"You know," Dan said, "This is all wrong. You both seem a little wooden to me. How about something a little closer and intimate? I mean, you _are_ dating," he gave a grin to the two who stared at him and Karen dumbfounded. Karen gave them an apologetic shrug.

"Dan, what are you playing at?" she whispered as Steve began instructing them on how to pose.

"Relax, honey. It's just a little payback," Dan told her.

"Payback?" Karen almost spat. "Oh, you are one selfish, cruel son-of-a-"

"I hate people keeping secrets from me; you know that. This is what you get for keeping me in the dark."

"Have you any idea how much they're both hurting? How dare you abuse that?" Karen argued.

"Shhh," he urged, "You'll disrupt Steve's… zen or whatever," Dan said not feeling the slightest bit guilty.

Karen could only watch as Lucas was forced to put his arm around Brooke's shoulder and pull her to his chest. Brooke fought the urge to burst into tears.

"How about you tilt your head back a little so you're looking into his eyes," Steve suggested to Brooke who unwillingly did so. She felt sick as she stared up at him. The blue eyes she'd once loved to look into were tired and she could see he hadn't slept either.

It felt like a lifetime had passed by the time Steve told them that he'd finished. Brooke and Lucas stayed in their designated pose for a few moments more before Brooke tore herself away and ran through the studio door and out of the building.

The three stared after her; Lucas feeling guiltier, Karen's heart going out to her, and Dan's sickly smile following her out.

As Lucas made his way to the restroom, Karen pushed past her husband with a glare.

"I hope you're happy," she said angrily as she walked out to follow the girl.

"Oh yes," Dan said, "Very happy."

-----

The next day, Dan had decided he didn't like silent treatment his wife was giving him and so decided to go to work on a Sunday. Karen, too, had chosen to stay at the café and work off her anger, leaving Brooke and Lucas in the house.

However, Lucas couldn't take the tension in the house any longer and spent most of his time at the Rivercourt in an effort to avoid any ugly confrontation with Brooke.

So Brooke was alone in the house, the pain from the last two day's events still fresh and her anger being taken out on her room, which was now devoid of any sort of photographical or material memory of Lucas.

Haley and Peyton took the opportunity to go and show their support for their friend, taking their usual 'crisis kit' and sympathy.

Brooke hadn't taken any of their calls and from what they'd heard about what happened at the photo studio, they knew they had to be there for her more than ever.

They knocked on the door and waited a little while until Brooke opened it. She had bags under her eyes and looked as if she hadn't slept for the past few days.

"Hey, Brooke," Haley said, "How are you doing?"

Brooke looked between the two.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her jaw clenching slightly.

"Uh… well, we thought you might need a friend or two so we got ice cream and your favorite movie," she said waving the bag in front of her.

Brooke nodded, "Yeah, I do need a friend," she said. Haley and Peyton gave her both an encouraging smile. "But I don't see them anywhere, do you?" she asked.

Haley frowned in confusion.

"What?"

Brooke didn't bother replying, but instead took the ice cream they held and slammed the door in their faces.

"Brooke!" Peyton called as she knocked on the door. "We're sorry, let us in!"

Haley and Peyton both tried to apologize as they stood outside Brooke's door. But their cries went unheeded as Brooke buried her head under her pillow, and cut herself off from the world.

**To Be Continued…**


	30. Tried To Go On Like I Never Knew You

_I'm really sorry. I didn't realize it was so long since my last update. _

**Chapter Thirty: Tried To Go On Like I Never Knew You**

"Brooke!" Peyton called across the school courtyard. It was Monday morning and this was the first time Peyton had seen her friend since she slammed the door on her at the weekend. "Brooke!" Peyton tried again.

Her friend continued walking as if she'd never heard Peyton's cries. Peyton managed to jog up to Brooke, a little out of breath, but determined to talk to her.

"Brooke, can we just talk?" she requested.

"Make it quick," she snapped, stepping up the speed of her walk.

"Well, could you stop walking away from me then?" Peyton asked. Brooke slowed down her walk and let out a deep sigh as she came to a stop.

"What?" she said in an exasperated tone.

"I know you're mad-" Peyton began.

"Oooh, score one for Blondie. Tell me something I _don't_ know," Brooke said as she began to walk away again. Peyton stepped in front of her to try and stop her from leaving.

"I can understand that you're upset but what I don't understand is why you're avoiding me and Haley… and Nathan… and Jake... pretty much everyone."

Brooke scowled, "You all _lied_ to me. You knew what Lucas did and none of you said anything. You all let me carry on like the idiot that I am and think nothing was wrong. Bet you all had a great laugh over that one, right?"

"Brooke, we didn't mean for you to find out like that. We thought Lucas was going to tell you when you got back but he didn't and then it was your birthday… it just went too far." Peyton told her.

"Yeah, right. Do you know what really bites? I thought I could trust you and Haley. I thought that when it came down to it, you'd be on my side. Instead, you're covering for Lucas. Guess I got that wrong too."

"This is not about choosing sides, Brooke."

Brooke sighed again getting more impatient.

"Well tell it to someone who cares. I'm done with all of you," Brooke told her former friend as she walked past Peyton and off on her own. Peyton stared after her, joined by Haley a few moments later.

"How is she doing?" Haley asked as she too watched Brooke disappear into the distance.

"She's pissed."

"At Lucas?"

"At everyone."

Haley nodded, "Maybe I should talk to her."

Peyton shrugged, "She's all yours, dude."

-----

Brooke groaned loudly as she made yet another mistake on her English assignment. She scribbled out the paragraphed she'd written out before pulling the page out and forming it into a ball, using all her strength and anger to make it into a teeny tiny ball.

It was amazing how therapeutic it was.

She threw it across the library floor and didn't seem to mind when it narrowly missed the group of girls who had been staring at her and whispering since the moment she'd walked in.

Gossip traveled quick in this small town.

It wasn't New York anymore.

Suddenly, Brooke felt the urge to want the big city where no-one would care if your loser boyfriend cheated on you with some two-bit slut.

Instead she was stuck in a small library in a school where everyone knew each other and scandals lasted for weeks.

She tried her best to ignore the gasps of people who only found out that-

"Oh my gosh! They broke up?" someone cried before they were hushed by their friends to keep their voice down.

"I heard she's pregnant."

"Oh please! I bet he cheated on her with that Peyton girl. Guys always fall for their girlfriend's best friend."

"Yeah,because that's _totally _believable. I think she's the one who cheated on him."

"No one in their right mind would ever cheat on Lucas Scott."

"Maybe he's gay!"

The group descended into giggles and sniggers. Brooke had had enough. She popped her head up from the desk she was sitting at and peered over the group.

"Maybe you stupid freshmen should mind your own business unless you'd like me to spread rumors of my own cos we haven't had a good teacher/student rumor in a while."

She arched an eyebrow at the group whose grins were quickly replaced by solemn and sheepish looks. Brooke rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat.

She'd only just settled back into writing her essay when a shadow loomed over her.

"What do you want?" she snapped without bothering to look up.

"Can I sit?" the voice of Haley James – her former friend – asked. Brooke sighed.

"If you want."

Haley did so. So far, so good.

"I ju-" she began.

"Whoa, did I say that you could talk?" Brooke questioned as she turned back to her essay. Haley was stunned. This was a side she'd never really seen of Brooke's before.

Well, not directly aimed at her anyway.

After a mere five minutes of neither of them talking, Haley realized Brooke was really serious about it.

"This is stupid," Haley said finally.

"This is a library. Keep your voice down."

"You can't keep ignoring us forever, Brooke," Haley told her, "I mean, you have to understand that we were just trying to protect you."

"By lying?"

"Yes by ly… no! That's not what I meant!" Haley began to get confused. "Look, we're sorry, okay? Can you just forgive us or something? We're still your friends, even if you don't want to be ours."

"You know," Brooke said as she turned her full attention on the girl in front of her, "Funnily enough, I don't need friends who stab me in the back."

With those words, Brooke hastily packed up her things and walked out of the library, earning looks from the other students as she walked by. Haley sighed and put her head in her hands.

They had all screwed up.

-----

Brooke Davis was frustrated. She had all this pent up anger and hurt inside of her and no outlet for it.

There was only so much she could yell at the cheerleading squad for.

After one particular girl was fed up and muttered a little too loudly; "Geez, what did Lucas do to piss you off so much?" Brooke had had enough and launched into a scathing tirade against the girl in the middle of the school gym, before she stormed out, leaving a stunned squad staring after her.

Brooke stalked out of the gym with her duffel bag and frantically searched for her car keys so she could make a quick exit.

As she found them, she spied a familiar blonde head in the distance. Her eyes narrowing, she cut across the courtyard and began walking towards the girl.

"Hey!" she yelled, getting the girl's attention, "I've got to talk to you."

"Are you talking to me?" the girl asked.

"Are you a two-bit whore? Then yes," Brooke said. "He was drunk!"

The girl studied Brooke for a few moments before she smiled.

"Oh, Brooke, right?"

"That's right. And he was drunk."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Ex-boyfriend," Brooke corrected.

"Right. Well, sorry about that," Sarah said a little dismissively as she tried to get past Brooke. Brooke stopped her.

"Do you not even care about that? He wasn't even conscious. That's like r-"

"Rape, yeah, yeah. I heard all this from those two girls you hang around with."

"How can you be so calm about this? Do you even care about the pain you've caused? I had to give away perfectly good diamond jewelry because of what he did… or rather, what you did to him," Brooke ranted. Sarah sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry that I had a good time. I didn't see your name written all over him. Plus, I didn't see you around anywhere. He drank all those drinks by himself. I did nothing."

"Except take advantage of him when he was vulnerable. You're a bitch!" Brooke spat out. Sarah just rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I get that you're angry and hurt and whatever. But think of it this way, even though he was drunk, even though I 'took advantage' of him – would you forgive him? I mean, he still cheated. It doesn't really matter if he was drunk or not."

Brooke thought about it and her silence seemed to confirm the answer for Sarah.

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened, but no-one can take it back. You can either move forward with your life, or you could dwell on the fact that people screw up sometimes. Make a choice."

Sarah walked away, leaving a shell-shocked and contemplative Brooke in her wake.

-----

Whitey shook his head as he watched Lucas miss yet another shot that he would easily sail through. Lucas cursed under his breath and Whitey could do nothing but blow the whistle and call a time out. They were losing badly to a team that they'd always defeated in previous years.

The team jogged up to Whitey, Lucas looking especially tired and exhausted.

"Sorry, Coach," he apologized, knowing that he'd let the team down.

"I can see that," Whitey grumbled, "What is up with you tonight, Scott?"

Lucas just shook his head, trying to come up with a suitable explanation. Somehow, he gathered that 'My girlfriend is pissed at me' wouldn't be the right response.

"Sit down," Whitey instructed, "You're benched. Collins, you're in for Scott."

"But Coach…" Lucas tried to argue, even though he knew it was for the best.

"Sit down, Scott, or I'll send you to the locker room. You can't do much for the team when you're playing half-heartedly."

Lucas gave him a reluctant nod and sat down, but not before seeing the unimpressed expression fixed on his father's face as she stared at him from the sidelines. Lucas looked away and cast his eyes to where the cheerleaders stood.

One important one was missing from the group.

He met Peyton's sad gaze as she shook her head and gave him a small shrug. Gulping hard, Lucas looked down at the wooden floorboards of the school gym, and dreaded going home.

-----

"That was a piss-poor performance, Lucas! Do you realize that we have college scouts coming soon and if they see that… half-assed display of whatever it was, you'll have no chance in _hell_ of getting a scholarship? Are you willing you put your whole future on the line because you broke up with your girlfriend?" Dan Scott had been yelling at his son from the minute the final game whistle was blown.

Lucas had learnt to try and filter the insults and snide comments out and just nod when needed to.

"Dan…" Karen tried to calm her husband down, "It was one bad game."

"Yeah, well I'd better not see anything like that again or there will be hell to play. Tomorrow morning you're getting up early and working yourself down to the ground. I don't want any of your excuses…"

Finally, they pulled up to the house and Lucas jumped at the chance of getting out of the car.

"…do you hear me?" he could hear his father's rant still continuing.

"Yeah!" Lucas yelled back, hoping it would be the end of the argument. Dan seemed satisfied with his answer and decided to quietly seethe in the solitude of his study.

Karen sighed as both her son and husband shut themselves off from each other in their respective rooms.

She loved watching Lucas play but couldn't stand Dan's criticisms, even if Lucas had played particularly well; Dan always had something to say.

Sighing, Karen decided to avoid the men of the house until both had calmed down and search for Brooke, who had not been at the game.

She knocked lightly on Brooke's door and waited for a reply that never came. She frowned and knocked harder.

"What's going on?" Lucas asked when he spotted his mother outside Brooke's door.

"Have you seen Brooke since you came home?" Karen asked. Lucas shook his head.

"Maybe she went out," Lucas suggested. Karen nodded.

"Maybe. Well, if you hear from her…" Karen said to lucks, even though she knew the chances of Brooke calling Lucas in the current situation were pretty slim. Lucas nodded and Karen walked away into her own bedroom.

Lucas opened the door of Brooke's bedroom. He knew she'd probably gone out. To where? He didn't know.

He surveyed the room that looked empty, cold and bleak now that there were no pictures of her friends adorning the wall. Clothes were strewn everywhere and there were bottles of nail polish and make-up covering every inch of her dressing table.

Lucas sat down slowly on the edge of the bed he was usually welcome on and let out a deep sigh.

It still smelt of her.

Lucas could almost imagine himself lying down on the bed with Brooke resting her head on his torso while reading out questions from _Cosmo_,despite his protests. The memory brought a smile to his lips.

He lingered in a room a little while longer before letting himself out and shutting the door on what used to be one of his favorite places.

-----

Brooke stirred her cocktail in a bored manner. She loved going out to clubs, even though she hadn't done it for a while. But she didn't like doing it alone. Or angry.

An average looking guy sat down beside her to try his luck. She gave him one unimpressed look, his smile instantly faded and he went away with his tail between his legs.

"Another drink?" the bartender asked. Brooke nodded.

"What time is it?" Brooke asked.

"Almost 11pm," the bartender replied as she fixed Brooke her drink, "Why? Do you have some place to be?"

"Hmmm, let's see. I could go home where my cheating ex-boyfriend is just across the hall from me, or I could go to my friend's house – but oops! All of them lied to me."

"Ouch," the bartender sympathized with Brooke, "Is there a third option?"

"Get drunk."

"Drown your sorrows, huh?"

"Nope," Brooke declared. The bartender raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "I have made a choice. I'm going to move forward and on with my life… without backstabbing friends and cheating boyfriends – and if drowning my sorrows is a part of that, then so be it."

The bartender smiled, "Brave girl."

"Stupid girl, more like," Brooke's smile faltered and she sighed.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. You said so yourself, you're better off without them."

"It sucks. I just want to go home."

"I could call you a cab…" the bartender offered.

"No, I want to go home-home. New York home. I had a great penthouse apartment. But I gave it all up for this place. Typical story. Girl meets boy. Boy hates girl. Girl hates boy. Boy is good-looking and puts charm on girl. Girl falls. Everything is rainbows and sunshine. Girl stupidly goes to see parents. Boy gets mad drunk and sleeps with blond slut. Boy and friends lie. Boy tells girl on her birthday. Girl all alone," Brooke babbled.

"Sounds like a really bad episode of 'Dawson's Creek'," the bartender chuckled. Brooke shrugged.

"I think I'll have another drink," Brooke told the bartended.

-----

Lucas lay awake in the darkness. He craned his neck to see the time displayed on his alarm clock.

2.17am.

He wasn't sure if Brooke was home yet. He hadn't heard her bedroom door open.

_Maybe she met a guy._

Lucas shook the thought out of his head.

No, she was probably staying at Theresa's house. Or Bevin's. Brooke was good friends with both girls.

He knew he should probably get some sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, they kept showing him Brooke's crushed expression from her birthday.

He thought that telling her about his mistake would alleviate some of the guilt, but instead it made things worse.

Lucas frowned as he heard the snapping of twigs from outside his window.

"Dammit!" someone hissed as there was a dull thud. Lucas sat up and peered out of his bedroom window.

"Brooke?" he whispered at the figure. She looked up. "What the hell?" Lucas opened his bedroom window and looked at her. She frowned at him.

"Lucasssss…" she slurred as she tried to keep herself standing on her feet.

"Are you drunk?" he asked her. She shrugged.

"I had a few drinks."

"Yeah, a few too many," Lucas replied.

"Are you going to criticize me all night or let me in? I forgot my key," Brooke said. Lucas sighed. This had happened once before; way before they'd started dating. Although it wasn't so late at night and she wasn't drunk.

"Give me your hands," he told her as he reached out of the window, thanking the fact that their house only had one floor. Brooke reached up and Lucas grabbed her hands to help her climb up the few feet. She struggled slightly in her heels and mid-length skirt but with Lucas' assistance, she managed to get through.

"I swear this house is growing," she muttered as Lucas helped steady her. "I didn't realize it was so hard to climb through a window."

"It isn't if you're sober," Lucas shot back. Brooke just rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. I'm going to my room."

"Not even a 'thank you'?" Lucas asked.

"Thank you," Brooke said sarcastically, "Thank you for making the last few days of my life hell, and reminding me that I'm meant to be bitter and alone."

"Brooke…" Lucas began feeling guilty again.

"Forget it, Lucas," Brooke said. "Just forget everything. I'm going to my room."

Lucas watched as Brooke managed to creep across the hall and enter her bedroom without stumbling or making too much of a noise.

Lucas put his hands on his head and hoped that Brooke wouldn't develop this into a habit.

And if she did; it would only be himself to blame.

**To Be Continued…**


	31. Seven Hours And Fifteen Days

_This chapter finishes off the current storyline and sets up another big one – so don't fear, there's still quite a bit to go!. _

**Chapter Thirty One: Seven Hours And Fifteen Days**

Brooke gasped as the cool wind hit her face as she stumbled out of the club. There was a thin layer of sweat forming on her skin, but she made no attempt to wipe it as she struggled to keep her balance.

The loud music from inside the club was still audible and it was beginning to give Brooke a headache. She groaned as somebody grabbed her arm.

"Hey, baby. Where are you going?" the guy's breath stank of booze and Brooke felt as if she was going to hurl. She pushed his face away from hers.

"Away from you," she replied as she tried to get out of his tightening grip.

"You don't really want that, do you?" he asked, "We could go somewhere private…" he began.

"Hey!" Brooke's head snapped up as she heard a familiar voice nearby.

_Crap_, she thought.

"Leave her alone."

"And who are you, buddy?" the guy holding Brooke asked.

"Someone who could kick your ass if you don't let go of her right now," he replied as he approached the two.

"Do you know this punk?" the guy asked Brooke.

"I think…" Brooke began before a hand covered her mouth, "I think I'm going to throw up!" she announced as she rushed to the curb and emptied the contents of her stomach.

The guy who'd previously been all over Brooke winced and shook his head, "She's all yours," he muttered before returning to the club.

It didn't take long for a pair of hands to sweep Brooke's hair away from her face and help steady her, rubbing her back soothingly as she continued to retch at the curb.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, shuddering slightly, even though she felt warm. "Shouldn't you be at the game?"

"Shouldn't you?" he challenged as he wiped her forehead of the sweat, "The team is short one cheerleader."

"Well, I haven't been feeling particularly cheery these past two weeks," Brooke shot back.

"What are you doing to yourself?" he asked somewhat sadly.

"This is the third time this week that you've followed me. Are you my stalker now, or are you just trying to kill my buzz?" she snapped.

"Your 'buzz' is killing you. Brooke, you've got to stop this."

Brooke straightened up, having the nausea finally pass, and she looked him in the eye.

"And why should I listen to _you_?" she questioned.

"Because I'm worried about you. We're all worried about you." Brooke began to walk away, but was still feeling some of the effects from the alcohol. She stumbled again, but he caught her in time.

"I'm taking you home," he announced in a tone that told her that there was no room for discussion.

"No!" she protested as she tried to get out of his grip.

"Brooke!"

"Nathan!" she yelled, "Why can't you just leave me alone? I'm trying to go on with my life without you, or Lucas, or anybody who lied or cheated on me; but I can't do that when you're freakin' following me!"

"Is everything okay?" a passing couple asked as they saw the two teens. The question was mainly directed at Brooke.

"We're fine," Nathan said, "I'm a friend." The couple didn't seem so convinced so looked at Brooke for confirmation.

"Is this true?"

"Yeah," she said running a hand through her hair, "Although he's a pretty sucky one," she muttered.

They nodded, and left.

"We're worried about you, Brooke," Nathan said as the couple entered the club.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you all lied," she told him.

"How many times do we need to apologize to you before you start believing it? If you want someone to blame, blame me."

Brooke looked at him confused, "What did you do? Make Lucas sleep with that Sarah girl?"

"No, I told… I told him to lie to you. I thought it'd be better if you didn't know because none of us wanted to hurt you, and he wanted to be with you."

Brooke looked at Nathan for a new moments as she tried to let the news sink in. He seemed to be telling the truth, the guilty look in his eyes seemed to be a testament to that.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Brooke shook her head, "Everyone still lied and he still slept with her. Cheating's cheating."

"Brooke, it's not just you who's hurting. The Ravens are playing without Lucas because he's been benched. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that he's going to ruin any chances he has of getting a basketball scholarship if he doesn't focus on his game."

"And how is that my problem?"

"Because everybody makes mistakes, Brooke! And everybody lies. I'm sorry about what happened, I really am but you have got to stop thinking about yourself. Look around you! None of us know what to do. I have to see two people I care about either sink into depression or drink themselves to death and I don't want that," Nathan told her. "Please stop pushing us away, please let us help you and be there for you because we're all sorry. We wish it never happened but none of us can take it back."

Brooke listened intently to Nathan's plea.

"Lucas needs you. I know you hate him, and for good reason but you have to think past that. He could ruin his life if he lets this opportunity pass him; and you could ruin yours if you don't let anyone in."

"I can't…" Brooke said tearfully, "I can't forgive him. I can't be with him anymore."

"I'm not asking you to forgive him or get back together. All I'm asking for is for you to understand that there are bigger things at stake here. He broke your heart, and you broke his; and I know that you need time and space. But a smile, or a hello, or just something to show him that not everything is lost. He made one mistake and lost everything. _Everything_. I don't want to stand by and let him lose his future either."

Nathan stood in front of Brooke, baring everything he had been burning to tell her. Finally, he had her listening. It was just getting her to understand and accept what he was trying to tell her.

"He's my brother, and I hurt him by marrying Haley and leaving him with my Dad. You know how hard he pushes him. And I feel guilty everyday for choosing Haley over him, but it's something I had to do. You made him smile, you made him laugh; and you brought something to his life that he'd never had. You brought what Haley brought to me. I'm sorry things got so screwed up."

"Nathan," Brooke said, speaking for the first time in a while, "I do understand where you're coming from. But maybe…"

"I know this should be coming from him, but I hope you can accept it from me. Lucas just needs a sign, _anything_, to show him that he hasn't lost everything. Please?"

Brooke had never heard or seen Nathan beg like this before, and it both surprised and touched her. But there was still so much anger inside of her that needed to be addressed and she knew it wasn't going to come so easily.

"I need to think about all this," she told him, suddenly feeling light-headed from the revelations and the alcohol. "I don't even know if I'll remember this in the morning."

"I'll take you home," Nathan said, "The game doesn't finish for another half-hour."

Brooke just nodded and followed Nathan to his car that was parked nearby.

"I'll drive your car back to yours," he promised. Brooke just nodded again.

The car journey was silent. Brooke was trying to come to terms with Nathan's words, and Nathan was busy hoping that he'd done the right thing by appealing to Brooke.

When they pulled up to the Scott mansion, Nathan turned to Brooke.

"Do you need me to help you in?" she shook her head, "I'll see you, okay?" Brooke nodded and opened the car door.

Before she got out, she turned around to Nathan, "Thank you," she told him, "You're a good friend."

She gave him a small smile, and Nathan knew that he'd managed to get through to her. Even if it was just a little. He gave a nod of his head and watched her walk up the driveway and into the house that not so long ago, used to be his.

-------------------

Brooke was awake and staring at the ceiling when the Scott family arrived home from the game. She could sense that it hadn't gone too well and waited for Dan's rant to Lucas to finish before making her presence known.

Dan huffed off into his room to sulk, and Karen followed soon afterwards. Lucas slowly made his way to his room, and turned when he heard Brooke's door opening.

He winced, expecting to get either a murderous look or a disgusted groan when she saw him, but instead, she looked timid and even slightly sheepish. She'd changed into her pajamas and her hair was in a messy bun. She had taken a quick shower when Nathan had dropped her home, and that seemed to sober her up and take the nausea away.

He could smell some hint on alcohol on her, but dismissed it as soon as she began to speak.

"I heard you lost," she said. He nodded, still surprised to have her talking to him, "Sorry I couldn't be there to cheer you on."

"It's okay. I spent most of it on the bench," he said. She gave a slight nod.

"Well, maybe next game, okay?" He nodded.

"Brooke…" she held a hand up.

"Lucas," she interrupted, "I really don't want to hear anymore apologies. I can't deal with it. I just want you to know that… I'm going to move on. We can't be together, but I'd like it if we could try and be-"

"Friends?" Lucas gave a hopeful guess. She slowly shook her head, and his heart sank.

"How does 'acquaintances' sound? I'm not quite at the friends-level because I haven't quite figured out how to forgive you or be around you. I gave you my heart, Lucas, and even if you didn't mean to, you crushed it. It'll be a while yet before I can look at you without wanting to punch you."

He nodded in comprehension.

"But I'm trying, Lucas. I'm trying to move on. I just can't see you in the main picture quite yet."

"That's okay," he told her. "Take your time. Just as long as you get there in the end."

She nodded.

"Yeah, well… it'll take a lot of time. Just don't get your hopes up," she said before disappearing back into her room.

Lucas wasn't sure how to take it. On one hand, he was just ecstatic to hear her talk to him again; but on the other, he knew that time was not on their side. Not with college barely a few months away.

But it was something.

-------------------

Brooke sighed deeply as she picked up the phone and dialed a number that she hadn't needed to dial for a few weeks.

It didn't take long to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Peyton? It's me," Brooke said. She half expected Peyton to hang up on her, god knows she deserved it after the way she'd treated her friends over the last two weeks.

"Brooke!" Peyton sounded both surprised and ecstatic.

"Get Haley and the 'crisis kit'," Brooke instructed, "I'm heading to your house soon."

"Sure," Peyton was already heading towards her freezer to make sure they had ice cream in there.

"Thanks," Brooke said, not knowing what else to say to her friend. Fortunately, Peyton did.

"Oh, Brooke?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you called. And I'm really sorry," she apologized.

"No more apologies, Peyton. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Okay, see you." Peyton hung up and treated herself to a little dance before dialing in Haley's number.

"Hello?" Haley said.

"Haley, get your ass down to my house _now_. Brooke's on her way here," Peyton could almost see the smile spread across the auburn haired girl's face as she said it.

"I'll be right there!" Haley said as she hung up. She squealed happily and threw her hands into the air.

"What's going on?" Nathan asked as he saw his wife emerge from the bedroom with a grin. He was lying on the couch helping himself to a tub of ice cream.

"I'm going to Peyton's," Haley announced as she grabbed her jacket, "Brooke called."

"Really?" Nathan seemed satisfied. Haley nodded.

She quickly gave Nathan a kiss and headed out of the door, only to return moments later to grab the ice cream tub from Nathan and take it with her.

Nathan frowned, "But that was strawberry cheesecake flavor!" he yelled to the closed door.

-------------------

"I've been really stupid. Pushing you all away and pretending I was fine. The way I handled things was so wrong; getting drunk and making out with guys I barely knew. I swore I'd never do it again. That was the New York version of me and I was never happy like that. When I came here, I made a promise that I'd never sink that low again; that whatever happened, nothing or nobody was worth it."

"I'm so glad you're okay," Peyton said as she hugged Brooke for what seemed like the thirtieth time that day. The three friends were huddled on Peyton's bed and listening to Brooke talk and vent while they helped themselves to tubs of different flavored ice creams, and sugary foods.

"Yeah, we were all worried about you," Haley rubbed Brooke's knee.

"You can thank your husband for me," Brooke told Haley, who looked at her in confusion.

"Why? What did Nathan do?"

Brooke shrugged, "Let's just say he brought me to my senses. He's a good guy," she said.

Haley nodded proudly, "Yeah, I know."

"So, do you both think you could ever forgive me for being such a bitch?" Brooke asked anxiously.

Peyton and Haley looked at one another.

"We already did."

-------------------

"So who was that guy I saw Brooke with last night?" Tim asked Lucas about a week later.

Tim Smith wasn't the most tactful guy on the planet; or the most observant since he didn't understand why both Scott brothers were giving him a look.

"What?" he asked, "It was just a question."

"I don't know," Lucas replied trying to act cool, but Nathan could easily see through it.

"How do you feel about it?" Nathan asked his brother. Brooke Davis had gotten herself back into the dating game and had already been on two dates with a guy from one of her classes.

"Mixed, I guess. On one hand, I'm glad she's moving on and forgetting she's pissed at me; but on the other… I just want her with me. I couldn't take her dating before we dated, and it's killing me to see her dating after I've lost her. But I screwed up – I know that. And if it takes some other guy to make her laugh and enjoy life again, then I guess I'll just have to learn to accept it."

"That's very mature," Nathan commented.

Lucas gave a small smile, "I guess I'm growing."

"You know what you need?" Tim piped up.

"Sex?" both Lucas and Nathan said together. They loved Tim Smith, but he always seemed to have a one-track mind.

"Well, yeah, but I was thinking that since Brooke's moving on, you should too."

"I don't want to date yet, Tim," Lucas told him, fearing that his friend might try and set him up on some blind date or something.

"Who said anything about dating? You can just do what you did before Brooke showed up. Hook up with a girl every other night. I'm having a party on-"

"I am not going to one of your parties ever again, Tim! I think one screwed me over enough," Lucas said.

"Whatever. The old Lucas Scott would listen to me. You're free, man. You don't have Brooke stopping you from having a good time."

"Do you want me to kill him for you?" Nathan asked his brother. Lucas chuckled.

"It's a good idea, Tim," Lucas said, "But I'm not the old Lucas Scott anymore."

"I just think that since Brooke is so focused on moving on; you need to focus on something," Tim replied.

Lucas looked down at the basketball in his hands. He bounced it once or twice and attempted to take a shot at the basket. It barely missed.

"Well, there _are _college scouts coming soon. And I'm still on the bench," Lucas said.

Nathan threw Lucas another ball and Lucas tried shooting again. This time the basket just made it.

"That's good," Nathan said. Lucas shrugged.

"What are you talking about? That was a terrible basket."

"No, I meant what you're doing is good. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Lucas nodded, and began to ease into sinking more and more baskets. If he kept this up, then in a matter of days, he would be back to his usual standard – if not better. And they had a game in five days.

Nathan and Tim encouraged him, but after three hours at the Rivercourt, both boys left to go grab something to eat, leaving Lucas to practice on his own.

By evening, Nathan went back to the Rivercourt to pick up the sweatshirt he left there, and was stunned to find Lucas still on the court.

"Lucas?" he asked. "It's almost seven. What are you still doing here?"

"Practicing," he said. "I'm getting better."

"Yeah, I can see. Have you eaten?"

"Nope."

"Well, have you had anything to drink?"

"Nope."

"Lucas…"

"Nathan, I'll go home, I promise. I just want to work on my jump shot before I go," Lucas told his brother. Nathan nodded uncertainly.

"Okay, but remember; don't push yourself too hard."

"Yeah, yeah," Lucas said as his brother reluctantly left to go home to his wife.

It was almost eleven by the time Lucas finally gave in, and went home.

**To Be Continued…**


	32. I Don’t Think That My Heart Can Take

**Chapter Thirty Two: I Don't Think That My Heart Can Take Much More**

"And it's Lucas Scott with another basket for the Tree Hills Ravens. This guy is on fire tonight, scoring 40 points against the Cove City Cavaliers. He just needs two more baskets to beat the record set by his very own father, Dan Scott, nineteen years ago in this very gym…"

The atmosphere in the school gym was electric. It was the most anticipated game this season and more people than ever were cramped into the small gym. There was no doubt that this was the best Lucas Scott had ever played, and everyone was rooting for him and the Ravens.

"Smith passes it to Scott, who is looking for an opportunity…" Mouth commentated, his own breath hitching in his chest as everyone watched Lucas try to find an opening. Lucas passed it back to Tim, who in turn threw it back to Lucas when it was clear. Lucas didn't need to think before dunking it smoothly into the basket.

The crowd cheered loudly as the scoreboard added two points under the Ravens' name.

"Lucas Scott has now matched his father's previous record; he is only one basket away from making Tree Hill history," Mouth continued.

On the sidelines, Brooke led the cheerleaders in their support for the Ravens; jumping and encouraging the team.

"Go Ravens!" they cheered, prompting more cheers from the spectators in the bleachers.

Brooke's eye caught Lucas' for one moment, and she offered him a tight smile. Lucas gulped and got back into the game. Nathan watched the exchange from a corner. Since his parents were at the game, he and Haley decided to keep to the shadows and stay well away from public eye. He sighed as he watched Lucas attempt another shot. It only barely missed. The crowd groaned and Lucas seemed to take it badly and cursed under his breath. Fortunately Tim and other members of his team patted him on the back and told him it didn't matter.

Over the last two weeks, Lucas had become more and more focused on his game. Not that anyone was complaining, since he seemed to be playing the best he'd ever played. It just had begun to concern Nathan, especially since it felt like he was doing it for all the wrong reasons.

When Lucas saw Brooke eating lunch with a guy; he started to lift more weights.

When Brooke went to dinner with Bevin's boyfriend's friend; Lucas added another mile to his bi-weekly 5-mile run.

When Brooke talked to a guy at Tric; Lucas left and spent the rest of the evening doing practicing his jump shot.

Nathan's mind flashed to three days ago in the gym when they were all practicing. One guy came in to the gym to ask Brooke out; which she accepted. Nathan remembered the way Lucas become angry.

Before he knew it, Lucas was shooting hoops into the basket continuously – except one, which rebounded and hit the guy on the back of the head. Lucas had seemed satisfied after that. But Nathan wondered if Lucas thought that by improving his game and focusing on getting into college would bring Brooke back to him. Although je had tried to call his brother up on it, Lucas would avoid answering and leave to work on his dribbling or something.

The crowd roared as Lucas scored another basket, securing a place in Tree Hill history, moments before the final whistle was blown.

While the spectators and other members of the team rushed to congratulate Lucas and begin their celebrations, Lucas couldn't help but feel incomplete.

Tomorrow, he'd be the most popular boy in school (still) and he knew that in the weeks to come, he could have any girl he chose – but the girl he _really_ wanted, was being approached by someone he recognised from his History class.

"Congratulations Lucas!" Karen greeted her son with a warm kiss and smile. "I knew you'd do it."

"Not bad," Dan said, making no effort to try and hide the smile etched across his face, "You did good, son," he complimented. Lucas just nodded.

"Thanks dad," he said.

"We're going to go home. Don't come home too late, okay?" Karen told him, knowing that he was probably going to want to party and celebrate. Lucas nodded and they left, moving through the scores of people surrounding their son.

When the coast was clear, Nathan and Haley came up to their brother and congratulated him. Nathan patted Lucas encouragingly on the back and pulled him into a hug, "You've made the family proud."

"Are you coming to the party? Tim's dedicating it to you," Haley grinned. Usually not up for Tim's parties, she was willing to make an exception tonight.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lucas saw Brooke chatting happily with the guy he'd seen earlier.

"Uh… sure," Lucas said, "But I'm tired so I might jet out early."

"You okay?" Nathan asked.

"Of course. I'm going to grab a shower." He excused himself and followed his team-mates through the crowds to get to the locker room.

"Did he look happy to you?" Nathan asked his wife.

"He's tired. He'll loosen up during the party," she promised. Nathan could see Brooke and a guy talking to each other in the corner of the room.

"I'll be right back," he told his wife as he approached the two.

"Hey Nathan," Brooke greeted, "What's up?" Nathan looked at Brooke's admirer once and she got the message, "Uh… I'll talk to you later, Michael, okay?" Michael nodded and disappeared. "What's up?" Brooke asked again once he was out of earshot.

"New guy, huh?" Nathan said, "What happened to Steve? Or Dylan? Or Brandon?"

"Are you asking me a question, or just naming characters from _Beverly Hills 90210_?" Brooke snapped.

"My point is that this is the fourth guy this week that's asked you out. Are you going to go?" Nathan questioned.

Brooke put her hands on her hips, "I didn't realize I needed to check in with you."

"Brooke…"

"I don't think it's any of your business, Nathan. At least I'm not crawling from club to club every night now. It just hasn't worked out with the other guys. They know I just came out of a relationship and not looking for anything serious. And if I guy I like asks me out, of course I'm going to consider it." Brooke said crossing her arms. "Is there anything else?"

Nathan sighed before continuing the real reason he approached her. "Yeah, there's just one other thing. Does Lucas seem different to you? Has he been acting differently?"

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"I mean, you've been at all his games. He's at his physical best right now – I'm just worried his mind isn't in the right place."

"You think he's going crazy?" Brooke was confused.

"No, not exactly," Nathan sighed then groand. "Forget it.. Could you just keep an eye on him at home?"

"Whoa, hold on. I'm already being forced to be nice to him, but you want me to babysit him too?" Brooke scoffed, "No way, Nathan."

"Brooke, this isn't a request. Look at him; he's constantly tired, he's always working out. He's putting more effort into basketball than into school."

"So? He just wants to do his best." Brooke began to leave but Nathan grabbed her arm.

"Brooke… since when was Lucas this passionate about basketball?"

She thought about it but instead of agreeing with her friend, she just gave an irritated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll keep my eye out. Happy?" She pushed past him and headed towards the gym doors.

Nathan watched Brooke leave the gym and rubbed his forehead.

"You okay?" Haley asked her husband, "I saw you talking to Brooke. Is everything alright?"

Nathan nodded and kissed his wife's forehead, "Everything's fine. We'd better get going, there's a party tonight."

---------------

Two days later, Brooke and Michael accepted an invitation for a double date with Haley and Nathan. Although Brooke was a little apprehensive about doing so, she figured that if everything went to hell with Michael, she still had two people to hang out with.

The only problem was that Michael was dropping by the house to pick Brooke up, and Lucas was home.

But Brooke figured it was okay, she'd just open the door and slip out without Lucas seeing Michael.

However, Brooke was still only half-dressed when the doorbell rang. She cursed under her breath as she yelled at Lucas to leave the door.

Unfortunately for them all, Lucas had already opened the door and was face to face with Brooke's newest admirer.

"Uh… Lucas," Michael said, "I'm here for Brooke," he winced slightly expecting to be pummeled, but Lucas allowed him in.

"Brooke!" Lucas yelled in the direction of her room.

"Coming!" came the rushed reply.

"She's on her way." Lucas bit out. Michael nodded.

"So… uh, we're in History together, right?" Michael attempted to break the ice.

"Yup."

"Um, done the homework?"

"Nope."

"Great. Neither have I!" Michael scratched his head.

"I'm here," Brooke announced.

"Oh, thank god," Michael said under his breath as he greeted Brooke. "You look nice."

Brooke nodded, "Thank you, so do you."

They both turned to where Lucas was standing with a clenched jaw and fist.

"Uh… we'll be back soon," Brooke told him. "You're staying home, right?"

Lucas shook his head. "Actually, I'm going down to the Rivercourt."

"Didn't you just come from—actually, never mind," Brooke said pushing it out of her mind. "We're going to go."

She managed to make a swift exit with Michael, letting out a relieved gasp and following him to his car.

Lucas watched from the window as they drove off before grabbing his basketball and sprinting down to the Rivercourt.

---------------

"I can't believe you just broke up with Michael," Haley said as she, Brooke and Nathan sat around a table in a nearby diner. "Before you even _started_ the date."

"I feel like an idiot. Who does that? I could have just let him pay for the movie and dumped him afterwards." Brooke pouted.

"Why did you agree to go out with him if you weren't even going to go through with it?" Haley asked. Brooke swirled the straw in her coke in circles.

"I don't know; I just changed my mind on the way here. Sorry for dragging you guys out here." she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Nathan said. "We can still hang out. Where's Lucas?"

"Nathan!" his wife chastised.

"He's at the Rivercourt."

"But we just came from the Rivercourt a few hours ago," Nathan said.

"I know… maybe you were right, Nathan. Lucas is acting weird." Brooke said after considering it. "But it's okay, right? I mean, he's only working out."

"Yeah," Nathan said a little unsure of it himself.

"What time is it?" Haley asked.

"Almost 5.15pm," Nathan replied, "We still have a while before the movie," he told his wife.

"So, have you met anyone you could actually go on more than one date with?" Haley asked her friend, "Because so far, you've seen Steve, Tyler, Joe and David once, and Michael… for twenty minutes," she said.

"I'm thinking that I might be done with boys for a while."

"Oooh," came Nathan's reply, which earned him glares from both girls.

"The dating thing, I mean. I just can't get back into it."

"You just need time," Haley reassured. "You only broke up with Lucas a month ago."

"Yeah… but why do I keep wishing I was with him?" Brooke asked, "The problem with all those other guys were that they just weren't Lucas. I'd be with one of them, and he'd do something that reminded me of Lucas, or say something like Lucas would. Steve even liked the same movies as Lucas. It's like he's haunting me." Brooke complained.

"Maybe you should get back with Lucas." Nathan suggested.

"That's not an option," Brooke shot back, "I can't be with someone I hate."

"Time." Haley repeated, as she rubbed Brooke's arm, "Just give it time."

"Speaking of," Nathan looked at his watch, "It's abut time we caught the movie. Shall we?"

The three friends stood up, paid for their meal and entered the cinema; not knowing that within the next hour, things for all of them would change forever.

**To Be Continued…**


	33. Your Blue Skies Fade To Grey

**Chapter Thirty Three: Your Blue Skies Fade To Grey**

Brooke's cellphone rang loudly in her bag, much to the chagrin of the others in the movie theatre. She cringed and shot them an apologetic look as she searched in vain through the contents of her bag to find her phone. She pulled out some of the items and placed them in Nathan's lap as the phone continued to ring, and people began to give her dirty looks and tut in her direction.

"Geez, Brooke, how much can you stuff in that small bag?" Nathan hissed as he looked down at the make-up in his hands.

Brooke didn't reply, but instead grinned when she found the phone. It was short-lived when the phone stopped ringing before she had time to answer it. She growled in frustration.

"I hate it when that happens," she muttered as she began listening to the voicemail message that was left for her. The color drained from her face and Nathan spied her expression in the darkness of the theater.

"What? Did you miss a sale?" he joked. When Brooke numbly stared down at her phone, he realized that it was clearly no laughing matter. "Hey, what's wrong? Who was that?" Nathan nudged her, but Brooke was finding it difficult to form words. By this time Haley had also become concerned.

"Let's get her out of here," she suggested to her husband as she hastily gathered up their belongings while Nathan helped Brooke up and ushered her quickly out of the theater.

Once in the lobby, Brooke suddenly burst into tears.

"Brooke, what happened?" Nathan asked, "Who was on the phone?"

"Dan," Brooke managed to squeak out, "He's in the hospital," she told them as she wiped the tears roughly from her face.

Haley glanced at Nathan, who seemed unsure of what to think. Before he could say anything else, Brooke continued.

"It's Lucas," she said, "There… there was an acc…an accident." Brooke took in a deep breath. "I have to go there," she said digging desperately into her bag, "Where the hell are my keys?" she sobbed as she threw the half-empty bag across the room. Haley went to fetch it, while Nathan – who was still holding half the items from the bag – tried to reassure Brooke.

"Hey, hey," he said, "You didn't bring your car, remember? You came with Michael," he reminded her. Haley held the bag open so Nathan could put Brooke's stuff back into it.

"Well, can I have your keys?" Brooke asked. Nathan pulled them out of his pocket and was about to hand them to her but then noticed how much her hands were shaking, and how distressed she was.

"I can't let you drive," he told her. "We'll drive you there."

"The movie…" Brooke began, "You shouldn't have to miss the movie."

"Screw the movie, we're going to the hospital."

Haley tugged at Nathan's shirt. "Dan and Karen are there," she said, "What are they going to say when we show up with Brooke – who isn't even supposed to know us, let alone be with us."

"Lucas needs _us_, Hales," Nathan said gently, "And we have to be there."

"I know but…" Haley sighed, "knowing Dan, he'll still be pissed off and stressed out. What if he doesn't let us anywhere near Lucas?"

"Are we leaving or not?" Brooke snapped, growing more and more impatient, "Because I'm going, and you're both coming too." She jabbed a finger at them both. "You're his brother and Dan Scott is not keeping us away from him. We're family." Nathan and Haley knew Brooke made sense even if, right at that moment, she was bordering on hysterical.

"Come on," Nathan said as he led the two girls out into the parking lot.

---------------

"Lucas Scott?" Brooke said to the receptionist.

"What's your name?" the receptionist asked Brooke.

"Brooke Davis, what does it matter?" Brooke asked, "Where is he?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. Only his immediate family is allowed to see him right now," she replied. Brooke's eyes narrowed.

"Listen lady, we just ran three red lights and I had to run in three inch heels to get here. Now tell me where he is!" she shouted at the receptionist who looked pretty scared of her.

"I'm his brother," Nathan told the receptionist before Brooke could hit the poor girl, "This is my wife, and Brooke lives with Lucas. Can you tell us which room he's in?"

The receptionist nodded and directed them some distance down the hallway.

Gripping Nathan's hand tightly, Brooke led the way but - as they approached the room - she was stopped.

"Come on," she said urging Nathan to go on. Nathan shook his head and let go of Brooke's hand.

"Brooke, I haven't spoken to my parents in almost a year. What am I supposed to say to them?"

"That you're here for your brother? Nathan, I need you with me," Brooke pleaded. She was anxious to go into the room and see Lucas, but Nathan's sudden panic put an end to it. "He'd do it for you," she reminded him softly. "And if Dan or Karen say anything about it; I'll take the heat. I just need to see him – and so do you."

Nathan finally nodded and took a deep breath as Brooke pushed open the door. Unsure of what she'd find or what she expected, Brooke's gaze firstly went to the distraught looking woman standing at the foot of Lucas' hospital bed. The woman spun around and gasped as she saw Brooke.

"Thank god, you're here," Karen said as she hugged Brooke tightly, "Dan told me he couldn't get through."

"How is he?" Brooke asked as she looked over Karen's shoulder to where Lucas lay still in the bed. He had tubes and wires in various places over his body, and he looked paler than she'd ever seen him.

"He's stable. He's unconscious, but the doctors say that he should be okay." Karen explained as her eyes wandered to the two figures also standing in the doorway. "Oh my…" she gasped.

"Hey, Mom," Nathan said from the doorway, his hand tightly holding onto Haley's. "How are you?"

Karen didn't know whether to cry, smile or laugh given the circumstances. Her banished son had come to her in his brother's time of need. _'He does care'_, she thought to herself as she couldn't help the small smile creep onto her lips. However, despite the good feeling she was getting now that she had both her sons – plus two girls she'd often regarded as her own daughters – all together in one room, something much deeper told Karen that things were only going to get worse.

Instinctively. Karen hugged her younger son, and even his wife.

"I'm so glad you came," she said, but her expression soured, "But if your father-"

"Forget him," Nathan said, "We're here for Luke."

Karen smiled, remembering how good it felt to hear Nathan's voice again. "Brooke told you?" she asked.

"Actually, we were with Brooke when Dan called," Haley said truthfully. Something Karen had always admired in her daughter-in-law was her honesty.

"I suspected as much," Karen smiled, "I always wondered why there were three sets of spoons, glasses and plates in the sink whenever Brooke had Peyton over," she said. Haley tucked a strand of hair behind her ears in embarrassment and hid behind Nathan's arm. "Anyway, he'll be glad you're both here."

"Dad?" Nathan asked, a little confused.

"Lucas," Karen replied. Nathan gave a nod.

"What happened?" Brooke asked as she looked at Lucas. "Dan just said Lucas was in the hospital because of an accident."

Karen shrugged, "I don't know myself. Apparently Lucas was found collapsed at the Rivercourt by Mouth and Skillz. They're the ones who called 911 and then me. The doctors don't even know what it is."

"Karen, the doctor-" Dan's voice called from the hallway. There was no time to react before he walked into his son's hospital room and saw who was there. He stopped in mid-sentence, and his jaw tightened as he leveled his eyes with Nathan's.

"What are you both doing here?" he asked coldly as he saw the woman that had torn Nathan apart from his family. "I thought I told you not to call them!" Dan's voice rose as he spoke to his wife.

"I called them," Brooke admitted, garnering his attention.

"Why?"

"Because Nathan needs to be here. Lucas is his brother and he's your s-"

"He is _not_ my son. Don't make that mistake. Nathan is no longer part of this family and you have no right bringing him here."

"Isn't that Lucas' decision? If it was Nathan lying here, Lucas would have been one of the first at his side," Brooke argued, as she stepped between Nathan and Dan.

Sensing that this was not the time nor place to have this sort of argument, Nathan stepped in.

"Brooke, it's okay. We'll go," he suggested.

"That's fine by me." Dan added. Brooke opened her mouth to protest but Nathan stopped her in an attempt to quickly diffuse the situation.

"My cell will be on all night, so don't hesitate to call and update us," he told her, giving her a quick hug and kiss on the forehead, before leaving the hospital room – his wife in tow.

Dan smirked and shook his head, giving both Karen and Brooke a glare.

"Dan…" Karen began.

"The doctor is on his way. He wants to ask some questions." Dan ignored his wife's comment.

"Okay," Karen agreed, putting a comforting arm around Brooke.

"I'm going to get some coffee," Dan told them, "Try not to let anymore vagrants in."

With those words, he left the two women alone in the room.

"Don't worry about him," Karen comforted, "He's still a little angry."

"Yeah, no kidding." Brooke muttered.

"For the record, I think you did the right thing. Dan just lets his ego get in the way of his emotions."

Within a few minutes, Dan arrive with coffee for all of them, and the three sat quietly at Lucas' bedside until the doctor arrived.

"Mr. Scott, Mrs. Scott," the doctor said as he looked at the two. His eyes rested on Brooke, "And you are?" The doctor looked through his notes, trying to see if Lucas had a sister. He was sure that only immediate family were allowed.

"This is Brooke Davis. She lives with us," Karen introduced them.

"Oh, in that case, welcome. My name is Dr. Forrester," he quickly shook Brooke's hand.

"Do you know what happened yet?" Dan asked.

"We're still running tests. I need to ask if Lucas has been taking any drugs?"

"How dare you ask-" Dan's temper flared up again.

"It's just a routine question, Mr. Scott. Your son is an athlete and with most patients that collapse like this, drugs seem to be the catalyst. Stuff like steroids-"

"My son is not taking steroids!"

"No offence, but teenagers don't usually inform their parents when they're taking drugs. Maybe he told a friend…?" his eyes glanced at Brooke, and both parents looked at her.

"No." Brooke shook her head. "Definately not."

"Has anything out of the ordinary been going on?" Dr. Forrester asked.

"Well, he has been under pressure lately with college scouts," Karen earned a glare from Dan, "and his performance _has_ improved."

"Then it's possible he might have taken something?"

"Listen, my son has not been taking any sort of performance enhancing drugs. He's earned those scholarships through hard work. What kind of man do you think I am if I let my son take drugs?" Dan asked.

Dr. Forrester flipped through his notes, "Scott…" he mused, "Didn't you have another son in hospital around eighteen months ago? He took some sort of steroid to enhance his game – he suffered from dehydration and collapsed during a game." he read off the information.

"My son does not take drugs," Dan repeated firmly.

"If you say so," Dr. Forrester said, "but we're taking a tox screen just to make sure." The doctor left the family but Dan was still angry.

"Can you believe that man?" he asked, "How dare he have the… I'm going to file a complaint!" Dan announced as he stormed out of the room.

"Oh dear," Karen said as she began to chase after him, "I'll be back soon," she told Brooke as she ran out of the room.

As Karen shut the door behind her, Brooke took an uneasy breath in and out and sat down next to the unconscious Lucas, knowing that all she could do was wait and pray he'd be okay.

---------------

Lucas opened his eyes slowly and inhaled the scent of the musky perfume that he could smell nearby. He smiled widely and his eyes focused on the empty space next to him.

Now a college senior, Lucas was having the time of his life in his own apartment. Set to go into the pros sometime in the very near future, he had the world at his feet.

"Lucas!" a sweet voice from the bathroom called his name. From his position on the bed, Lucas could see a flash of blonde hair walk past the sink.

"Yeah?" he called back.

"Oh good, you're awake." Lucas loved hearing her voice first thing in the morning, "Remember that we're meeting your parents for lunch. They didn't fly all the way from Tree Hill for nothing."

"Is Nathan coming?" Lucas asked.

"Duh!" the voice said, "And Haley. They haven't seen you since… Christmas?"

"Thanksgiving," Lucas replied, "But that's because we spent Christmas and New Years in Palm Springs."

"Ah yes," the voice said, "That was a great trip. We should do it again."

"Now?" he asked hopefully. She laughed.

"No, because you're not getting out of meeting your family that easily. Why are you trying to avoid them?"

"I'm not. I'd just rather spend it with you."

The blonde peeked out of the bathroom with a cheeky grin, "Same here."

She crawled onto the bed and gave him a kiss, "God, I love you."

"I love you too, Brooke," he told her earnestly. "I'm glad we managed to get through all that-"

She pressed a finger to his lips, "Let's not talk about that. It was a long time ago. I already forgave you," she said as she lay down beside him and played with a strand of her hair. It had been dyed blonde for a part in a drama play she'd won the lead in. "I hate my hair," she grumbled.

"I love it," Lucas replied, "We match now."

She gave him a grin and pushed herself off the bed. "I need a shower." He groaned when she left him alone on the bed. "Are you coming?" she asked as she paused at the bathroom doorway.

"Huh?" Lucas hadn't heard the last part.

"I asked if you were joining me… Lucas!" she snapped, "Lucas! Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?" he repeated.

"Lucas!" she yelled.

Lucas' eyes snapped open suddenly. He was no longer in his own apartment anymore. He was in a bleak looking room surrounded by tubes and wires, and he was thirsty.

However, the musky smell remained. His eyes went to the brunette girl sitting in the chair next to him; she was engrossed in painting her nails and hadn't noticed he was awake.

"Brooke?" he croaked. She looked at him and gasped.

"Oh my god, Lucas!" she said as she sat up. "You're awake."

"You're painting your nails." Lucas said.

"Uh… I was bored," she apologized quickly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm a little confused. What's happening?" he asked, coughing slightly. Brooke poured a glass of water and offered it to Lucas, who took it greedily.

"You had a little accident at the Rivercourt. The doctors don't know what it is yet, but the important thing is you're okay."

"You're here?" Lucas asked.

"Of course," she replied with a warm smile as she set the water on the table next to Lucas, "Where else would I be?"

"Didn't you have a date?" Lucas questioned.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Brooke laughed.

"Where are-?"

"Oh, your dad is yelling at some poor doctor, and your mom went after him. Look, I'm going to go get a nurse or something. You'll be okay for a couple of minutes, right?"

Lucas gave a nod and she began to leave.

"I'm glad you're here." Lucas told her before she left. She tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and gave a small smile.

"I'm glad you're awake," she replied as she went to search for a nurse and his parents.

Lucas sighed as he was left alone in the room, with no recollection of how he got there or what was wrong with him. All he could think of was the musky smell that lingered in the room, and the girl who'd been at his bedside.

**To Be Continued…**


	34. Make A Change And Breakaway

_Sorry for the slight delay. I got my A-Level results and am in the process of preparing to move to university in the next couple of weeks. And I also got a little obsessed/annoyed with 'The Sims 2' after Nathan and Haley ended up hating each other (darn it!), Brooke and Lucas wanting to have sex all the time, and Deb randomly getting pregnant 3 times! _

**Chapter Thirty Four: Make A Change And Breakaway**

Brooke returned to Lucas' room less than five minutes later, with Dan, Karen and Dr. Forrester in tow.

Once Dr. Forrester had heard Lucas was awake, he made it clear to Dan and Karen that it was imperative that he talk to Lucas, having found out the nature of Lucas' collapse.

As they entered the hospital room, Karen was immediately at her eldest son's side with hugs, kisses and soothing words. Dan, too, seemed over the moon to see his son awake; while Brooke kept a fair distance away to allow Lucas' parents to be with Lucas.

"Good evening, Lucas. I am Dr. Forrester. How are you feeling?" Dr. Forrester asked once the kisses and hugs had subsided.

"Pretty crappy, actually," Lucas replied, his voice a little dry and croaky, "and tired as hell."

"That's understandable," Dr. Forrester said looking over his notes, "Your tox screen came back negative for any types of drugs in your system," he continued. Lucas frowned slightly, while Dan seemed to become a little irritated with the doctor's mention of 'drugs'.

"Do you know what caused Lucas' collapse?" Karen asked.

Dr. Forrester sighed, "Actually, we do. It's a disease called HCM – standing for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It's a heart disease, which is quite rare, but sometimes there are a number of reasons that cause it," he explained. "Can I ask if you've been exerting yourself to high levels of stress recently?"

Lucas looked around the room, "Uh… I've been working out a little more than usual. I've had college scouts coming to my basketball games," he told him.

"What do you last remember?" Dr. Forrester asked.

"Nothing much. I was at the Rivercourt running some drills. I think I did a couple of laps around the court. I don't remember anything after that."

"What does this have to do with HCM?" Dan asked.

Dr. Forrester sighed, "It seems that by working out more that Lucas' body is used to, could have caused the problem. Symptoms of HCM usually include shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness and fainting."

"So this is because of extra training?" Dan questioned. Dr. Forrester shook his head.

"Yes and no. HCM is a disease. It's usually genetic so all the members of your family should be tested for it. However, it could just have been a result of a spontaneous mutation, in which case, it might just be Lucas with the disease."

Dan held a hand up, seemingly confused, "Wait, what does this mean for Lucas? Does he just need to chill out for a little bit and let his body rest?"

Dr. Forrester looked down, "No basketball," he replied, "Lucas will now have to be treated for HCM, which means no competitive sports. He needs to take it easy, and learn to cope with his illness. We can't cure HCM, but we can deal with it. I'll prescribe Lucas the medicine, along with instructions on how to use it. There are leaflets-" Dr. Forrester handed one to Dan, who immediately threw it to the ground.

"We don't want your stupid leaflets!" Dan yelled, "My son is going to the Pros and now because of some disease you're telling him he can't do anything?"

"Dan!" Karen warned.

"It's not like that, Mr. Scott. Lucas put himself in danger with the amount of excessive exercise he was doing – genetic or not – Lucas can't put his body through that again. You're lucky that he's alive. There are cases, particularly in young people like him, where HCM has caused sudden death." Dr. Forrester continued.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. A few hours ago, you thought he was on drugs. I bet this is just some stupid mistake," Dan continued his tirade.

"Believe what you want, Mr. Scott, but we're certain HCM is the cause. We have a variety of different drugs to help deal with it, and if necessary, we'll fit in a pacemaker. But the advice still sticks – no competitive sports."

"I want a second opinion," Dan said firmly. Dr. Forrester nodded.

"If that's what you want, but I can guarantee that they're going to come to the same conclusion. Your son has HCM, and he can still lead a perfectly normal life, provided he takes the right medication."

"And no basketball?" Karen added. Dr. Forrester nodded.

"No basketball," he repeated before shuffling uncomfortably, "I'll leave you to discuss the matter further, and I recommend that everyone else get tested for the disease too," he told them as he left the room.

Once the door closed, the room was silent. With the exception of the usual beeps of the hospital equipment and the rhythmic ticking of the clock; nobody else made a noise.

"Well," Brooke said after some time, "I think I'll go phone Nathan," she announced.

Dan glared at her, "You will do no such thing," he warned.

"Didn't you hear the doctor?" Brooke asked, "He said that everyone had to be tested. That includes Natha-"

"Dr. Forrester clearly has it wrong. Lucas is going to be fine. We'll just put him on a diet and slowly rebuild his strength. He'll be on the court before you know it," Dan said facing the person in question, "We'll do weights, a few sprints… the college scouts won't even need to know about it."

"Dan, I don't think you understand what's happening. It's too dangerous for Lucas to put so much stress on his body," Karen said gently to try and knock some sense into her husband, "I think we should listen to Dr. Forrester and see the treatment alternatives."

"Lucas is not going to throw away everything we've worked hard for. He's a fighter and he's going to prove them wrong," Dan insisted.

"Dan, I don't think that's your choice to make."

Dan gave his wife a look, "I've worked too hard for this to happen now. Lucas is going to play basketball again," he told her, "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to find a doctor who actually _knows_ his medicine," he said as he stormed out of the room.

Karen shot both Lucas and Brooke an apologetic look before following her husband outside.

Brooke glanced at the door before she looked at Lucas. He sat almost numbly in his bed as he tried to process the information.

"Hey. How do you feel?" she asked tentatively.

"How do you think?" he bit out. He groaned as he rested his head back a little so that he looked up at the ceiling. "This sucks."

"I really am sorry," she told him honestly as she came closer towards him.

To her surprise, he laughed dryly, "I bet you are. Enjoying the pity party? Must be great to see me finally get what I deserve, right?" he asked giving her an angry look.

"Lucas, I know you're disappointed but don't take it out on me. I would never have wanted this to happen to you," she told him, "I had no idea you were putting yourself through so much."

"Of course not, you were too busy hooking up with every guy that passed to get back at me," he said. Brooke's throat tightened.

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, come on, Brooke. You wanted me to get my comeuppance. You always play the victim; the one that's hurt. Well, I don't see you sitting in a hospital bed and being told you can't do the only thing you know how to do," Lucas looked at all the wires and tubes attached to him and sighed.

"You can't honestly be blaming this on me," Brooke said, her voice rising, "This is nobody's fault."

"Yeah? Why do you think that I've been concentrating on basketball so much? Why do you think I've spent every waking hour down at the Rivercourt or at the gym trying to improve my game? Why do you think I left the room when that Michael guy came to pick you up? I did it all for you!"

Brooke was stunned, she couldn't think of anything to reply with.

"Why don't you just go, Brooke?" Lucas told her, looking out of the window.

Brooke crossed her arms, "No." she told him firmly.

Lucas looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "No?"

"You know, I don't feel sorry for you anymore. Not one bit. In fact, I envy you because now you have a chance to start your life over," she told him. He continued to stare at her.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You know there is more to life than basketball, but all this time, you were trapped in your father's dreams. Guess what, Lucas? You're not anymore. You can do whatever you want to do now and instead of being pleased about it, you're wallowing in self-pity because you've disappointed Daddy?"

"Brooke-"

"Want to know a secret? I bet you've fantasized about an excuse to get out of this… this box Dan's put you in. I know that you've been envious of Nathan because he managed to break free. Now you can too."

Lucas shook his head, "You have no idea what you're talking about, Brooke," he said quietly.

Brooke walked towards Lucas, shaking her head slightly as she did. "Maybe I'm crazy," she said, "And maybe I read you wrong. But you have to admit that you're a little relieved."

Lucas sighed, "I have college scouts coming every week to see me play. My dad is depending on me to go to college and do what he couldn't do. Now because of this stupid disease, I have to disappoint him."

"Nobody's going to be disappointed. You heard the doc, this disease is genetic. It's not your fault. So you won't be able to play basketball? What about going to college and studying English? You're great at that. Or studying whatever the hell you want. You're not obligated anymore!" she told him, a smile forming on her face as she spoke. She was excited that Lucas got a chance to do what he wanted, but Lucas wasn't so sure.

When he didn't answer, she licked her lips and lowered her head, "Or you could just sit here feeling sorry for yourself and miss the opportunity to do something _you_ want to do."

"It's not that simple," he told her.

"That's where you're wrong," she told him, "It's very simple. You just don't have the balls to do it." Lucas frowned at her comment. "Look," she said, "I'm going to call Nathan and tell him what's happening. He has to get checked out too," she sighed, as she gave Lucas a small wave and walked towards the door.

"Brooke…" he called. She paused. "Why are you so sure that I can get through this?"

She looked at him and shrugged, "Because I know you. And I know that if it were anybody else, you'd be telling them the same thing. You can do it, Lucas. I really believe that," she said.

He nodded and watched as she left the room. He wasn't alone for long since his parents entered the room.

"Where is Brooke going?" Karen asked as she entered, having seen the brunette leaving in the opposite direction.

"Oh, um, she went to go get some coffee," he lied.

"How are you doing?" Karen asked her son, giving him a kiss on the forehead, "I know this must be tough."

Dan scoffed, "Tough? He's going to get through this and show everyone – especially that hack doctor of his – that he's fit and healthy. Aren't you, son?" Dan asked.

Lucas merely nodded. Karen looked slightly concerned.

"Speaking of which, I'm going to tell Whitey that this whole thing was because you've pushed yourself a little too hard. He'll cut you some slack and meanwhile we can rebuild your strength."

"But I have a heart condition," Lucas said, saying it for the first time, "I don't think that I should play basketball for a while."

Dan looked at his son as if he'd grown an extra limb, before chuckling.

"Don't worry about that. Once we get a different doctor to check you out, you'll be fine. You just burnt yourself out a little. You'll be fine," Dan seemed to say it more and more; hoping that if he said it enough – it'd end up being true.

"I think you should get check out, Dan," Karen said, "You might have the heart condition too."

"There is no heart condition, sweetheart. Just some stupid doctor wanting to pump my son full of drugs, and stopping him from doing what he was born to do. We have more scouts due to come in the next few weeks. After some R and R, Lucas should be rested up enough to play," Dan told them.

Karen gave Lucas an uneasy look.

"I still think-" she began.

"Karen," he warned, "Lucas will be fine. Now, I'm going back to the dealership to make some arrangements to be off work for the next week or so, so that I can help Lucas regain his strength. Do you want me to get anything from home?" he asked.

Lucas shook his head. "No, thanks," he said. Dan nodded and left.

"Mom…"

"Don't worry, Lucas, I'll talk to him. I think your father is struggling to accept it," she explained, "How about you? What do you think?"

Lucas sighed, "It sucks," he told her truthfully, "But what else can I do? Maybe it's like a sign or something."

"A sign?" Karen asked.

"Brooke was telling me that maybe I should take it as an opportunity to do something I want to do, rather than fulfilling Dad's dreams."

"I think she sounds like she knows what she's talking about," Karen said, "So are you and Brooke talking again?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah, she was here."

"She was really worried about you. Did you know that she came with Nathan and Haley?"

"I didn't know that," he said.

"She did. And she stood up to Dan when he wanted them out. Do you spend a lot of time with them?" she questioned. Lucas hesitated before nodding.

"I know you didn't want me to-"

"Oh honey, it is fine. I'm glad you did. He's okay?" she asked.

"They're both fine."

"And they're happy?"

Lucas grinned, "I don't think I've seen a couple happier."

Karen smiled widely, "That's good. I'm glad."

"They don't blame you," he told his mother, "They don't blame you at all. They know it was Dan who didn't want anything to do with them."

Karen nodded, "That's a relief. Hey, um, is it okay if I…"

"They'd love to have you over," Lucas said, watching as a wave of relief washed over Karen's features, "I'll come with you too," Lucas offered.

"Well, let's just get you better first," Karen patted him on his arm, as Brooke walked back in. She looked at the two and offered a small smile.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here. I can leave," she said pointing to the door.

"Don't be ridiculous, Brooke. Come and sit down," Karen said urging the girl to come forwards. Glancing at Brooke's empty hands, she frowned, "I thought you went to get coffee," she said giving Lucas a look.

Brooke and Lucas looked at one another, "Oh, well, I drank it all…" Brooke began trying to make-up a believable story, "I was really thirsty!" she said.

Karen smiled unconvinced, and Lucas explained the truth, "Brooke went to call Nathan," he said. Brooke gave him a look, to which he replied, "It's okay."

Brooke nodded in comprehension and Karen seemed happy.

"What did he say?" Karen asked.

"Oh, um… I told him about Lucas and HCM. He's going to get tested for it as soon as possible. Just in case," she said, "And he and Haley send their best."

"That's good," Karen said, "Tell them that they're free to come and visit him here whenever they want. I'll try and keep Dan away," she promised. Brooke smiled.

"I will," she nodded.

"I'm going to get some coffee… the real kind," Karen glanced at Brooke as she said it, "Will you both be okay for a while?"

They nodded, although Karen could sense a little tension in the air as she left.

"So…" Brooke began, scratching her head nervously, "Alone again, huh?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah. I guess so."

"Your dad seems to be-"

"In denial?" Lucas rolled his eyes, "Well, that's Dan Scott for you. He doesn't want to tell Whitey or any of the scouts that I have a heart condition. After all, it might affect my chances," Lucas said dryly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry for being such as ass."

"You were just told you had a heart condition. It's okay, I understand."

"No," Lucas shook his head, "I meant for being such an ass over the last couple of months or whatever. Things just… they haven't been going well lately," he explained, trying to avoid meeting her gaze.

"It's been rough for me too," she said, "I think we're both to blame. I know I didn't make it easy on you."

"Not that I didn't deserve it," Lucas said.

Brooke bit her lip, "Can we just… I don't know… start over?" she asked. Lucas gave her a look, "Not completely, because you were an ass to me before too, but just-" she struggled to find the right words to say.

"Forgive and forget?" he suggested. She shook her head.

"No, not exactly. Just… move on from the whole drama."

"So you haven't forgiven me, then?" Lucas looked down at his hands.

"I can't," she told him honestly, "Not yet."

"Oh."

"But I'd like to be friends," she tried.

"That sounds good," he said. She nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good," she repeated. Lucas tried to repress a yawn, "Are you tired?"

"A little," he admitted.

"You should rest," she advised him pulling up his blankets slightly.

"I'm not that tired," he protested, although the yawn that followed told Brooke otherwise. She smiled.

"Go to sleep, Lucas," she told him firmly, "I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?" he asked sleepily, his body giving up the fight against the tiredness.

"Yeah," she promised, "What else are friends for?"

_Friends, _Lucas thought as he closed his eyes.

It was a word he'd have to get used to.

**To Be Continued…**


	35. The Price I've Had To Pay

_Sorry for the delay. I've been making plans to move to University in the next week or so. There should be another chapter out soon before I move up there. Stay tuned. _

**Chapter Thirty Five: The Price I've Had To Pay**

Less than three days later, and at Dan's demand, Lucas was discharged from the hospital and allowed home. Although he still wasn't allowed back to school for another week or so; Dan was determined to make sure he used it wisely and rebuilt his strength.

Since the diagnosis, all Dan Scott had talked about was proving Dr. Forrester wrong and getting Lucas back on the court.

Lucas remained tight-lipped through all of his father's plans and simply nodded or tried to change the subject. Karen could do nothing, and her attempts to tell her husband that Lucas needed rest were dismissed with a flick of a hand.

Brooke stood by Lucas, spending more time at the hospital than Dan and Karen combined. Karen had to literally push Brooke out of the door – but the girl managed to get her own back by taking extended lunch breaks, skipping unimportant lessons and regularly bringing by gifts from other people for Lucas.

Sometimes she brought by Nathan and Haley, or Peyton and Jake. Some of the basketball players were snuck in after visiting hours – and Brooke managed to sweet talk a few doctors into letting Lucas out of his room for a while so Lucas could get some proper fresh air.

She listened to Lucas complain about his dad, she encouraged him when he had fears about his future, and kept his spirits up when he began to feel slightly depressed.

Sometimes Lucas would awake in the middle of the night to find her sleeping on the couch. It brought a smile to his face as he realized it was the silver lining through this whole ordeal.

As Lucas helped through the front door of his house by his mother, there was a yelp from Lucas' room.

"Don't come in here!" Brooke called; she poked her head out of the door, "Hey Lucas." She grinned.

"Hey Brooke. What's going on?" he asked.

"Just some 'welcome home' thing. Don't look until I tell you to," she advised as her head went back into the room.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked Karen as she helped him settle on the couch. Karen just shook her head.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Brooke bounced all the way to the living room to take Lucas and Karen into his room. Brooke led Lucas by the hand and they stood outside his bedroom door.

"Come on, Brooke," he grew impatient, "Before I have another heart attack!" he joked, but was met by glares from both women. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"This," Brooke turned the doorknob slowly, "Is your new room."

As she opened the door and walked inside, Karen and Lucas stared open-mouthed at the display.

Brooke had completely rearranged his bedroom and filled it with potted plants, weird looking pictures and a strange smell was wafting around the room.

"What is that smell?" Lucas asked holding a hand to his nose.

"Incense," Brooke replied, "And I got you scented candles too."

"Why is my bed in a completely different direction?" he questioned.

"According to this feng shui website I found, if your bed faces in this direction, it'll bring you good health."

"Yeah, if I don't suffocate first!" Lucas complained, the fumes getting a little too much for him.

"Lucas…" Karen warned, "Brooke did a very nice thing for you."

Brooke pouted until Lucas gave her a nod and thanked her, pulling her in for a brief hug.

"Thank you," she said brightening up. "Now, I also changed your curtains, added some plants, and rearranged your closet."

"Am I going to be able to find anything here?" Lucas asked as he looked around his barely recognizable room. She'd done everything but redecorate.

"Well, you have a week to get accustomed," she reminded him. "And I'm always here to help out."

"Really?" Karen interrupted, "And what about school?"

"Lucas will need someone home with him to get him stuff!" Brooke argued.

"I have HCM, Brooke; I didn't have any limbs cut off!" Lucas reminded her.

"That's right," a voice said as he arrived to where the others were standing. "Lucas will be fine. I've taken the next week off to make sure of it," Dan gave a wide smile at his family.

Both Lucas and Brooke found it a little disconcerting; his whiter than white teeth beaming at them, and the faint crow's feet around his slightly aged face made it seem a little menacing.

"Dan," Karen ventured forward in a small plea, "I thought we had discussed this-"

"Karen, honey, I know what I'm doing. Lucas and I will only be doing light exercise at first, nothing strenuous. I promise." Dan put his hand to his chest for dramatic effect. "We could even get started now."

"Actually, I'm a little tired," Lucas said. A frown crossed Dan's features and he was about to protest until Karen piped up.

"Of course, Lucas," Karen said ushering her son deeper into his room, "You go ahead and get some rest." She was eager to get Lucas away from Dan; at least until Dan accepted that Lucas had HCM. "I'll bring you a drink in a minute."

As they all left him in his room, Brooke picked up her jacket.

"I'm going to go to Peyton's to pick up a CD," Brooke announced. "I'll be back soon."

"That's fine," Karen said, "Tell Peyton 'hi' from me, okay?"

Brooke nodded and glanced at Dan. Brooke, Karen and Lucas had begun using code words for Haley and Nathan in front of Dan. Brooke would say she was borrowing a CD from Peyton, and Lucas would say he was calling Tim. Karen had begun meeting both Haley and Nathan at Karen's Café – even offering Haley a job.

Bridges were beginning to be built between the three.

Brooke walked out of the door, and Karen began filling a glass of water for Lucas; her husband standing in the kitchen.

"Dan…" she said as she waited for the tumbler to fill up, "Are you sure that this is a good idea? I know I seem to say this a lot, but I think we should listen to his doctors."

"Karen, for the hundredth time, I know what I'm doing."

"Have you considered what Lucas wants? He can still lead a normal life without basketball. I don't want him endanger himself again."

Dan sighed loudly, "Honey, you're being paranoid. Lucas just needs to slow down a bit. We can't let him throw away his future over one incident."

"He could have died," Karen reminded him.

"Doctors are always making stuff up like that. It's their way of scaring us all into being paranoid, fearful idiots. They'd have us walking around in bubble suits if people took them seriously. I know what I'm doing," he reassured.

"If you say so, Dan," Karen wiped the excess water that dripped around the tumbler with a dishcloth, "Just remember; it's Lucas' future. Not yours."

-------------------

Two weeks later, Lucas was still not ready to return to school, and was sure that Dan's work regime wasn't helping.

He was doing light exercise, which was difficult enough for him, and Dan was getting increasingly frustrated with him.

"Come on, Lucas! Pull yourself together. You've only done ten push ups!" Dan yelled at his son, who was sprawled across the floor without an ounce of energy left in him.

"I… I can't," Lucas panted.

"What was that?" Dan asked putting a hand to his ears, "Was that the sound of giving up?"

Lucas couldn't reply.

"Five more."

"Dad…"

"_Five_ more," he demanded. Lucas, covered in his own sweat, could hardly muster enough energy to shake his head. Dan reluctantly stepped away from his ailing son. "Fine. Ten minute break."

At that moment, Brooke and Karen walked in from their shopping trip and looked at the scene in front of them; their mouths falling open.

"What's going on?" Karen asked as she rushed to Lucas' side.

"We were just working out," Dan explained.

"Lucas, honey, are you okay?" Karen asked helping her son up to his feet. "Brooke, take him to his room – I want to talk to Dan."

Brooke nodded and went to help Lucas back to his bedroom, carrying his weight.

As she helped him lie down on his bed, they could hear the rumblings of an argument between his parents. Brooke shut the door so that Lucas didn't have to hear it.

"You okay?" she asked, finding his medication in his top dresser drawer and handing it to him. He took it gratefully.

"I will be," he replied.

"Why can't you just say 'no'?" Brooke asked.

"I can't," he shook his head, "You can't say that to my dad."

"This is killing you, Lucas. I can't stand by anymore and watch it happen. Your mom can't either."

"What can I do, Brooke? My dad doesn't understand."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"You know my dad, Brooke. It's his way or the-"

"That's not true and you know it," Brooke replied, "He told you not to see Nathan anymore, and you still did. Why should this be any different?"

"It just is," Lucas mumbled. He sighed deeply, "If I tell you something, will you promise you won't make a big deal out of it?"

Brooke shrugged, "Sure."

"I called a couple of the college scouts and told them about my situation."

"I thought your dad wanted to keep it a secret."

"Yeah, well… I called and… I talked to them."

"And?" Brooke prompted.

"The told me that I can't take the scholarship. Or play basketball."

"I'm sorry, Lucas," Brooke apologized.

"It's okay," Lucas said, not seeming down by it, "Because they saw my transcripts and a few of them want me to go anyway. It's not a scholarship, but I told them what I wanted to do, and boom! They think that I'd make a great addition to their literature and poetry classes."

"Lucas, are you kidding me?" Brooke grinned, "This is a huge deal!"

Lucas clamped his hand over her mouth, "Shhh…" he urged, "You can't tell my parents."

"Why not? They'd be thrilled…"

"I know my mom will, but my dad?" Lucas shook his head, "I still need to figure out how to break it to him."

"Lucas, you can't be afraid of telling him. This is too big. This is what you've been waiting for."

"But my Dad-"

"Don't worry about him," Brooke insisted, "Karen and I will back you up."

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked. Brooke nodded. "Fine… fine, I'll tell them."

Brooke hugged Lucas, "This is going to be great!" she reassured.

Although he'd like to have Brooke's optimism, Lucas knew that it would be anything but.

-------------------

At dinner time, Lucas had regained enough strength to face his parents, and with Brooke's support, prepared to tell them his news.

However, it wasn't until they got to the dessert when he finally plucked up the courage to do so.

"I got a call from a couple of the colleges," he began, "about the scholarship."

"Really?" Dan asked, a smile forming on his face, "And?"

"They've withdrawn it," Lucas explained.

"That's outrageous!" Dan hit his fists on the table. "What stupid reason did they have to-"

"I told them about my HCM."

Dan stared at his son and the table hushed.

"What?" Dan narrowed his eyes.

"They said that it was too risky for me to play basketball, and that they couldn't allow me to endanger my health." Lucas explained.

"Why did you tell them?" Dan yelled, "All we needed was a few more weeks to get you back on the court. No-one needed to know."

"Dad, I have a heart disease. I can't play!" Lucas argued, "The practice alone could kill me."

"So you've blown your chance to make it big. Well done, Lucas. Bravo." Dan said dryly, clapping slowly.

"Dan…" Karen warned.

"That's not all," Brooke piped up, prompting Lucas to tell them the rest.

"They did offer me a place, though. All of the colleges I applied to looked over my transcripts and made space for me. I'll be doing literature and poetry – all I need to do is choose my college."

Karen beamed with pride, while Dan's expression soured.

"Lucas, that's-"

"-a sissy subject." Dan cut Karen off.

"Dan!"

"What kind of man studies Shakespeare and Wordsworth? What kind of job can you get with a degree like that?" Dan said. "A poor man's job."

"It's not about money," Brooke said, "It's about what Lucas enjoys and is good at."

"Well, not that it's your business, but Lucas is good and enjoys basketball. He's made to be in the NBA."

"But he can't, Dan, because he has HCM." Karen said for the umpteenth time. She was getting rather tired of trying to convince her husband of Lucas' condition.

"I fully support his decision," Brooke raised her hand for effect.

"Nobody asked you, Brooke," Dan snapped. He looked around the room, "So how many of you feel that Lucas is making a good decision?"

All three hands went up.

"Fine." Dan threw down his napkin and stood up, the chair making a screeching sound as it scraped across the floor. "Let Lucas throw away his life by doing some soft subject – just don't expect me to pay for it."

"What?" all three asked.

"You heard me," Dan smirked, "I am not going to waste my money on him any longer."

"That's unfair!" Brooke protested, defending Lucas.

Dan turned on the brunette, "Don't even get me started on you, Brooke."

"Me?"

"You are a guest in this house, and this past year you've weeded your way into our lives. First you seduced Lucas, and then disrespected our wishes by bringing Nathan to his bedside, and now you've poisoned Lucas' mind into giving up his dreams. You've ruined our family."

"Dan…"

"I haven't done anything!" Brooke argued as she also stood up, "It was Lucas' choice to pursue this after he was told about his disease. I just supported him, which is more than I say for you," she spat.

"How. Dare. You." Dan bellowed. "I want you out."

"What?"

"You heard me. I want you out of this house. Right now. Pack your bags. You leave tonight."

"That is enough!" Karen stood between the two. "Both of you calm down, this is about Lucas and his situation."

"Whose fault is Lucas' situation?" Dan questioned, "Maybe if Brooke hadn't have broken his heart, then he wouldn't have this problem."

"That is such a load o-"

"Okay, stop." Karen interrupted yet again, "This is all wrong. Brooke, you are not going anywhere."

"This is my house!" Dan reminded her.

"And we made a promise, Dan. We're Brooke's legal guardians until she reaches the age of eighteen. I've had enough of you pushing people away every time they do something you don't agree with. I lost one of my sons, and I don't want to lose any more of them."

"I want her out," Dan said.

"No." Karen crossed her arms.

"Fine," Dan relented, "We'll look after her - but the minute she turns eighteen; she's out of here. And that's final."

Karen opened her mouth to protest but Brooke took the reigns, "Fine." She said.

"Brooke, you don't have to do this." Karen said.

"No," Brooke said, "I think I've already outstayed my welcome. I'll move out when I'm eighteen. Not a day longer."

"Brooke…"

"I'll be in my room," Brooke said excusing herself from the table.

"Look what you've done, Dan."

"She deserves it. I've had enough of her."

"This is unfair," Lucas now began defending Brooke.

"You think about who you're speaking to before you open your mouth, son. I have put everything in getting you where you are. I've made sacrifices and this is how you repay me? By throwing it back in my face?"

"You know what, dad? I never liked basketball. Never. Nathan loved it. But after you threw him out for following his heart, you put all this pressure on me to do the thing that you could never do. I'm sick of having to live out your dreams; they're not mine. You're ruining my life."

"No, Lucas, you're ruining your own life by throwing away your talent."

"That's what you think."

"Boys," Karen rubbed the bridge of her nose, "We have to stop this."

"We are stopping this," Dan said, "If he wants to go to college, then he can pay it himself."

"I'll pay for it," Karen decided.

"Excuse me?"

"If you won't pay for Lucas, then I will. He's my son and I'm not going to punish him for following his dreams."

Dan looked between his son and wife with a steely gaze. Feeling that they'd turned against him, he tightened his jaw and stormed out of the house.

"Mom…" Lucas began.

"Go to sleep, Lucas." Karen said as she began clearing the table, "It's been a long day."

"I'll help." Lucas offered reaching for a plate.

"No," Karen said, sounding tired and weary. "Just go to sleep. I can take care of it."

Lucas gave a nod and retreated to his bedroom, finding Brooke standing in the hallway.

"So…" she said, "You told them."

He nodded, "Yeah. I did. Are you okay?"

She flicked her wrist and tried to act casual, "Oh, I'm a survivor. I'll be fine. I'm used to being on my own."

"You don't have to move. We can talk Dan around-"

Brooke shook her head, "No, it's not worth it." She said, "I'm going to go to sleep."

"Good night."

"Good night," she replied as she shut her bedroom door.

Once in her room, Brooke looked around.

The life she had here was definitely worth fighting for.

She just didn't have the strength to fight Dan Scott.

**To Be Continued…**


	36. Soon You Will Disappear

_I know I promised this chapter earlier but my parents decided to move me up a few days earlier so I've been busy with that. _

_Also, in answer to a question, Brooke won't be 18 for a while yet. According to the timeline of this fic, her birthday is around February. _

**Chapter Thirty Six: Soon You Will Disappear**

Brooke tried her best to focus on what her physics teacher was explaining to the class. She knew she had to pay attention, but her thoughts were on other things.

After the disastrous dinner where Dan had erupted at Brooke and Lucas; the young girl tried to keep a low profile at the Scott house. She spent time in her room when Dan was around, and kept well out of everybody's way.

Similarly, Lucas was now suffering from the silent treatment from his father – not that he minded too much. This gave him a chance to follow the doctor's advice and rest long enough to be given the okay to return to school.

Karen had been a godsend to both children, who appreciated her attempts to stop Dan from throwing both teenagers out of the house. What they hadn't realized was that it had affected Karen's relationship with Dan. While Karen hadn't agreed with Dan and done her best to curb his anger; neither she nor her husband talked to one another – especially since he'd decided to spend more him at the dealership rather than at home.

Things in the Scott household had become subdued and very tense.

She was softly nudged out of her thoughts by Peyton, who slyly passed her a note. Brooke looked down at the quickly written message.

'_You okay? You seem a little distracted. P x'_

Brooke took out a pen and scribbled out a reply.

'_I'm fine. Just thinking about some stuff. I'll tell you after class. B x'_

Looking up to check that the teacher's attention was on something else, she passed it back the blonde, who read it and gave her a nod.

Ten minutes later, the bell rang and she was immediately accosted by her friend.

"So spill," Peyton said as she packed away her books. Brooke got up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "I didn't hear from you all weekend."

"Let's just say it wasn't really the best weekend I've ever had," Brooke let out a sigh.

"What happened?" Peyton asked. Brooke waited until the last few students filtered out of the classroom before explaining.

"Dan threw me out of the house," Brooke revealed as her friend's jaw fell open.

"Are you kidding? Why? What happened?"

"Lucas told Dan he didn't want to do basketball at University. Apparently Lucas got placements for Literature and Poetry, but you know Dan…"

"What does that have to do with him throwing you out?" Peyton asked.

"I defended Lucas' choice, and Dan accused me of poisoning his mind and stuff." Brooke groaned and put a hand to her head, "It was really bad, Peyton. We were yelling across the dinner table and it was just… horrible. It reminded me of how it was with my parents. Either it was them yelling at each other, or them yelling at me."

"Brooke…" Peyton began trying to offer words of reassurance.

"What have I done, Peyton?" Brooke asked, suddenly horrified at her actions, "They took me into their home and I screamed at them. I stuck my nose in where it doesn't belong and now I'm out on my ass. They were so nice to me and I repay them with telling them that they're wrong? God…"

"Brooke, it's not that bad," Peyton told her, "I'm sure a lot of things were said in the heat in the moment. I know you, Brooke; I know that you have opinions about everything, and that you can't keep your mouth shut for a second-"

"Are we supposed to be making me feel better or worse?" Brooke snapped.

Peyton sighed, "But that's what I love about you. You stand up for what you believe in. Whether it's for a friend's education or against a dollar-raise on the price of a cup of coffee…"

"That's just plain extortion," Brooke muttered.

"The point is that whether you should have or not, you stood by Lucas' side and supported him. I'm sure that means a lot to him."

"I guess…"

"What about Karen?" Peyton asked. "What did she have to say?"

"She was great actually. She offered to pay for Lucas' college because Dan refused to and she stopped Dan from throwing me out there and then."

"So what's happening now?" Peyton asked, "Are you still there?"

She nodded, "For now… but Dan wants me out when I turn eighteen so…"

Peyton pulled her friend into a hug, "Well you know there's always space at Casa Sawyer. Now… in a few months… on your birthday. Whenever. We can bake cookies and eat ice cream all day."

Brooke chuckled dryly, "Thanks Peyton, but I think I'm going to stick it out for a while. I don't want to leave Lucas and Karen now. It's been too quiet around the house. Everyone is tip-toeing around each other. It's just like after… Lucas and I broke up," she dipped her head to the ground.

"You know what they say, Brooke," Peyton reassured, "When you're down – the only way is up… so what do you say we blow off last period and go shopping? We'll even drag Haley out of the library and take her with us."

The offer sounded tempting, and though Brooke knew that they'd all be in trouble if they were caught, nodded her head, hoping that a couple of hours of shopping would ease her mind.

"Fine… but we're not going in crappy music stores so you can talk about Keane and the Quaser Chips."

"Kaiser Chiefs, Brooke. Kaiser Chiefs!" Peyton said for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Pah-teyto. Pah-tah-toe." Brooke grinned.

------

"Tough break, man," Nathan sympathized with his older brother as Lucas told him about the events that weekend.

"Tell me about it."

"At least you got it all out in the open. I mean, what else were you going to do? Carry on trying to make Dad happy and get yourself killed?" Nathan shook his head, "So what if he's pissed. At least you can now get on with your life."

"It's not that simple, Nate," Lucas told his brother, "Things are bad at home. Even more so than when you left."

"Mom and Dad not talking?" Nathan asked. Lucas shook his head.

"Dan spends more time at the dealership than at home. And when he does, everyone's walking on eggshells. Mom's sleeping in the guest bedroom."

"It's only been a few days…" Nathan tried to reassure, although he was concerned about his parent's relationship. He may not like his father, but he respected that his mom did. "They'll get back on track."

"I hope so. Although I doubt Dad and I can ever get back on track. He took it pretty badly."

"Please," Nathan sighed as he sat next to Lucas, "Dad doesn't care about anyone but himself. So he can't live vicariously through us. Big deal. It's about him he realized people have their own lives; he can't live ours out for him, and we can't live his."

Lucas didn't say anything.

"Besides, it doesn't matter. You're leaving for college in… four months? Have you picked one yet?"

"No, not yet. I want to give it more thought." Lucas replied.

"Well, make sure you pick one far away from Dad."

"Actually, I was thinking of staying close to home. Not too close, but close enough for visits and stuff."

"Why?" Nathan asked, "I thought you wanted to get away from small town life? Isn't that what you kept talking about all those years ago?" Nathan reminded him.

"But you're here. And Mom. Jake, Haley and everyone's here."

"We're not going to lose contact." Nathan promised his brother, but seeing the look on Lucas' face, he realized he wasn't the one Lucas was concerned about, "You don't want to leave Brooke, do you?"

Lucas sighed, "I know we broke up… but sometimes it feels like we didn't. Especially now. We've been getting along and it seems like we're moving forward. Plus, she's got to move out next February if Dad gets his own way. I don't want to come back to Tree Hill and find her gone."

"Come on, Lucas. Brooke won't go that far. Where else is she going to go?" Nathan asked.

"New York?" Lucas suggested, "She's got friends there. Her grandmother left her a huge trust fund. She can go anywhere she wants to once she graduates. Even before then, if she wanted too. There's nothing keeping her in Tree Hill, Nathan."

"There's you." Nathan said.

"I'll be at college when she gets out." Lucas shook his head.

"Then there's Peyton and Haley. Me…" Nathan continued, "I think you've underestimated her. Brooke's not the type to just abandon her friends."

"I guess. I don't want her to feel like I'm abandoning her or my mom. I want to stay close to home." Nathan nodded.

"Look, Lucas, you don't have to make this decision yet. Don't think that you're pressured to make it because Dad is mad at you, and don't think that you have to chose a college close-by because of Brooke or Mom. This is your decision, Luke. It's all for you."

Lucas sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair, making a mental note to get it cut.

"Anyway," Lucas decided to change the subject… slightly, "Did you get the HCM test done?"

Nathan nodded his head, "Yeah. I'm okay." He answered, "Keith is too."

"That's good," Lucas replied, "I'm glad."

"Has Dad taken the test?" Nathan hazarded, wondering if his stubborn father cared about his health.

"What do you think?" Lucas asked, "Mom's stopped trying. She figures that if he wants to risk his own health because he's too ass-headed to accept it, then it's his prerogative. But I know she wants him to take it – and so do I."

"Yeah, I guess," Nathan agreed, earning a questionable look from Lucas, "He may not see me as his son anymore but that doesn't change the fact he's my Dad. Dan Scott maybe an arrogant ass… I don't want him to die."

Lucas patted his brother on the back, "Don't worry… I have a sneaky feeling he'll outlive us all."

"Yeah…" Nathan chuckled, "The world is crazy like that." He checked his watched and sighed, "I guess I'd better be getting home. Haley cooked my favorite tonight."

"Pork chops?" Nathan nodded with a grin, "Any special reason?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know…" Nathan replied.

"Maybe she's pregnant, dude!" Lucas teased. Nathan went a ghostly white.

"What!" Nathan's eyes went wide.

"Relax, Nate," Lucas said, "I was kidding. I'm sure she's not."

"We always use protection…" Nathan said suddenly very scared.

"I know, Nathan…"

"Well, except that one time – but that was three months ago and I'm sure that if she was, she'd have told me earlier. Unless she doesn't know…"

"Okay, um, Nathan, just go home and stop panicking." Lucas advised as he turned his brother towards the direction of his apartment. "It was only a joke."

"Yeah, how funny it was too," Nathan said dryly, "And f she is – I'm blaming you."

Lucas chuckled and watched as his brother left the Rivercourt and headed to his home. Once he was alone, Lucas reached into his backpack and pulled out a brochure. Under the dim lights of the basketball court, he looked at the campus and extra curricular activities. There was no doubt that the university itself was renowned and one of the best there. He just hoped that it'd give him the opportunity to exert his independence, without feeling completely disconnected from his life in Tree Hill.

As he closed the brochure, he knew with certainty that that was the place for him. All he had to do was accept the place – and tell everyone else.

------

"You're home late," Brooke commented as Lucas walked into the Scott household. She turned the page of her book.

"Hmmm," Lucas replied as he set down his backpack and slumped into the nearest chair, "I was at the Rivercourt with Nathan." She arched an eyebrow at the mention of the Rivercourt, "Don't worry. I didn't play. We just talked."

She nodded, "Everything fine?"

"Yeah, although Nathan's panicking about Haley being pregnant."

"What!" Brooke's eyes went wide and Lucas held up his hands.

"She's not pregnant. I was just kidding around but Nathan didn't find it funny."

"I wonder why," Brooke said as she returned to her book. Lucas craned his neck to read the title.

"_Catcher In The Rye_?" he questioned, "I didn't think that was your type of book."

Brooke shrugged, "Let's just say I can relate. Anyway," she put the book down, "What have you been up to?"

Lucas shrugged, "Just thinking."

"About?"

"College," Lucas replied. Broke tore her eyes away from him.

"Oh?" she tried to hide her concern. Even though they had broken up, the subject of Lucas going away still hurt her.

"Yeah," Lucas also found it difficult to talk about.

"Found anywhere nice?" Brooke asked, trying to remain cool about it.

"Actually, I have," his answer surprised her. She hadn't expected him to have already decided. "I'm going to Duke."

"Duke?"

"It's a good University. Their department of English is pretty interesting." Lucas said.

"Is it… close?" Brooke asked. "It's in North Carolina, right?"

"Yeah… it's about two hours away so I can always come up and visit."

"Good," Brooke replied, "I'll hold you to that."

Lucas nodded. "I just need to accept the place and it's done."

"Wow," she said, "That quick, huh?"

Lucas nodded, "That quick." He cleared his throat, "So, you want to watch some TV?" Lucas picked up the remote.

"Actually, I'm pretty tired," Brooke excused as she got up from the couch, "I'm going to head to bed."

"Okay then. See you in the morning." Lucas said. Brooke gave him a smile and left the living room. Once in her bedroom, Brooke turned to her calendar.

It was already April. She counted the months left until August – when Lucas would be moving off to Duke University.

There were just four months left.

**To Be Continued…**


	37. Everybody Walks Away

**Chapter Thirty Seven: Everybody Walks Away**

Brooke shuffled in her seat, cursing under her breath as to why she didn't think to bring a bottle of water with her. Fortunately she'd opted to wear a sleeveless shirt and short skirt so she could just about bear the heat.

She glanced at her side where Haley was fanning herself with a piece of paper, "How long are we supposed to wait?" she asked. Brooke shrugged.

"No idea."

"I wish they'd hurry it up. I'm boiling to death-" Haley's voice was cut out as sweeping, booming music suddenly started up – courtesy of the school band.

Everybody turned in their seats to face the line of students that walked down the aisle between the rows of audience and dispersed into their assigned seats.

"Get the camera!" Karen instructed Brooke as she caught sight of her son slowly making his way down. Brooke aimed the camera at the identical-looking students all dressed in maroon gowns and caps, trying to find Lucas.

"Which one is he?" Brooke complained when she couldn't find him.

"The one in the gown!" Nathan joked, only to be met with a look from Brooke.

"There he is!" Haley pointed out to the slightly taller man standing awkwardly in his gown. Brooke smiled at the tantrum he'd thrown when he'd seen the gown.

"_Maroon? I thought our school colors were blue and white." Lucas complained as he looked at his graduating attire. _

"_Yeah, well, there was a mix-up – Chapel Hill High got ours." Mouth explained as he handed out more boxes. "Since graduation is tomorrow, Principal Turner decided there was no point in swapping them now."_

"_Dude, this rocks!" Tim Smith grinned as he collected his._

"_You are aware these aren't our school colors, right?" Lucas asked the teenager. Tim just shrugged. _

"_I look good in maroon. It goes with my complexion," he replied. Lucas and Mouth exchanged a look and looked back at their gowns. _

"_Geez, are those your gowns?" Brooke commented as she, Peyton, Jake, Haley and Nathan joined the senior boys. Lucas nodded. "You do know that our school colors a-"_

"_-blue, yes we know. There was a mix-up," Lucas interrupted. "I can't wear this!" he complained once again. _

"_Aw, why? Don't you have matching shoes?" Brooke teased. _

"_It's not right… why do we get stuck with the screwed-up order? What else are they going to change; 'The Imperial March' instead of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?"_

"_Why are you so worked up over this?" Haley frowned at Lucas. "I think it's fantastic," she took the gown out and admired it against her own body – the bottom of the gown just falling past her feet. _

"_Yeah, I mean no-one else in Tree Hill High history has ever worn a maroon cap and gown. Your class is one of a kind!" Peyton said as she hugged Jake._

"_I agree with her." Jake said. "It does look pretty good. And you're only going to be wearing them for a couple of hours."_

"_But forever immortalized in the yearbooks and our memories." Brooke smirked._

"_You're not helping…" Lucas said glancing at her, but he smiled to let her know he wasn't really mad. _

"_Anyway," Brooke said as she tried on the cap, "Maroon could totally be your color."_

He gave his support group a slight nod when he saw them and forced a smile for Brooke's camera. As the music died down and the last of the students took their seats, everybody turned their attention on the principal.

"Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests… and students; today we mark a significant milestone in the three hundred young people you see sitting here in front of you today. They are no longer children needing guidance – but adults going forward to make a difference in the world. Their education at Tree Hill High is but a stepping stone, and now it is time to bid these exceptional students goodbye and watch them proudly as they move onto bigger and better things…"

The voice of the principal slowly drowned out as Brooke's gaze wandered to Lucas, who seemed to be sharing a joke with Tim. He seemed excited and content, and though Brooke was honestly happy for him – she couldn't help but wish he wasn't leaving.

As the valedictorian began her speech, the parents and students became more thoughtful about the future – those who were going out on their own for the first time, and those who would be left behind.

Brooke fell in the latter category and she wasn't exactly sure how to feel about that. Sure, she had Peyton, Jake, Haley and Nathan; but was going to feel strange being the only teenager in the Scott house.

And an unwelcome one at that.

At least Lucas was an ally against Dan- not that Karen wasn't- but she quite enjoyed their playful banter and complaining about his crummy music. And sometimes he would drive her to school and back if she was feeling too lazy to drive herself.

Plus, Nathan would now be without a brother.

"You okay?" Haley nudged Brooke, "You seem to be in your 'Brooke World' again."

Brooke forced a smile, "I'm fine. Honestly. It's just… that's going to be us next year," she pointed out. "Only in blue gowns."

"It's okay to admit you're going to miss him," Haley continued, not falling for Brooke's excuse.

"I'm not going to miss him…" Brooke began, "I mean, for the last few months, I've hated him. And he has… stupid hair," she said, as she ripped up her programme.

Haley chuckled, "Brooke, you know as well as I do you forgav-"

"I haven't forgiven him!" Brooke cut in. "You can't forgive something like that."

"Okay, fine – but you hate him a lot less. I mean you're both smiling, and talking, and laughing, and it might not be such a bad idea to tell him how you feel…"

"He's leaving, Haley," Brooke said, turning to her, "And there are no feelings between us except… friendship." Haley seemed less than convinced.

"You know he didn't go to prom," she reminded Brooke. "He told Nathan that there was no point because there was nobody he wanted to take." Brooke remained silent as Haley continued. "He leaves in the middle of August; that's not even three months – and I won't allow either of you to spend the whole summer pining over each other and not saying what you want to say because you're too scared-"

"Haley," Brooke warned, her eyes never leaving the stage, "Please leave it."

"Okay," Haley said no more.

As the names of the students were called one by one, they patiently waited for Lucas to be called up.

"Josh Savage… Lucas Scott…" The four who had come to support him – Karen, Nathan, Haley and Brooke – clapped and whooped loudly as he collected his diploma and adjusted his cap. He grinned broadly as Karen took pictures and proudly watched her son. Brooke caught his eye and gave him a warm smile, to which his nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

As he moved off, the next name was called – "Tim Smith…" Tim whooped and cheered for himself, attempting to do the 'Tim Dance' on the middle of the stage.

They cringed as they watched Tim make a usual spectacle of himself. Brooke turned to Haley and asked; "How the _hell_ did Tim manage to graduate?"

"Well," Haley answered, "His step-mother paid me to privately tutor him in English and Math… and History," she revealed.

"So what's he doing now?" Haley grinned.

"You really won't believe it," she warned.

"Okay, now you _have_ to tell me," Brooke demanded.

Haley glanced at Tim who was being dragged off stage by Lucas. "He's going to be pre-med." Brooke's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?"

Haley shook her head, "Nope. He may not be the brightest when it comes to… common sense, and he may be an over-sexed teenage boy – but he kicks ass in the science subjects."

"You think you know someone…"

-----

Lucas smiled for the camera, one hand holding up his diploma and the other slung around Tim's shoulder. As the flash went off, Tim's father and step-mother grinned at the two.

"Thank you," Tim's step-mother said before approaching Lucas, "Tim tells me you're headed to Duke after the summer."

Lucas nodded in reply. Less than a week after Lucas had set his mind on Duke, word spread about his HCM. It had been both sad and shocking for the residents of Tree Hill to know that their Golden Boy could no longer play basketball – but Lucas had kept an upbeat and positive spin on it – especially since he knew what he wanted to do now.

"It's a very good school. Their department of English is excellent," Tim's step-mother told him. "I went there."

Lucas was surprised to hear this. He'd viewed the young blonde as nothing more than an airheaded trophy wife for Mr. Smith.

"I didn't know that," Lucas replied.

"Steph… ask him," Tim urged his step-mother. Stephanie Smith nodded her head.

"Ask me what?" Lucas questioned.

"Every year, we take a trip around the US and Europe. This year, we're going to see some great literature places… Keats' home and all that. After Tim told us what you were studying, we thought you might like to join us."

"Wait, you mean-"

"It'd only be for two months at the most. Tim would love the company," Tim nodded.

"You're interested in stuff like this?" Lucas asked Tim, who shrugged.

"No… but the Italian girls are hot."

Steph rolled her eyes and faced Lucas, "What do you say?" she asked.

"I'd have to ask my Mom…" Lucas looked behind him to see his friends and family approaching. He waved them over.

Karen was the first to reach her son, hugging him tightly. "I am so proud of you."

"Yeah, congratulations." Haley said as she hugged him afterwards. "You too, Tim."

"I couldn't have done it without my hot tutor," Tim grinned but it faded after he saw the look Nathan gave him.

"Congratulations to you both," Brooke said, briefly hugging the two of them.

"Thanks, Brooke," Lucas replied.

"Brooke? As in Brooke Davis?" Steph asked.

"Uh… that's me!" Brooke said. Tim's parents looked at one another and beamed. Steph pulled her into a hug.

"So you're our son's new girlfriend," Mr. Smith grinned, "He's been going on and on about-"

The whole gang looked over at Tim.

"I think you've-" Brooke began.

"Uh… Dad, Steph. How about we go over here!" Tim quickly ushered his parents away from the group.

"Pre-med, huh? God help us all…" Brooke commented with a sigh.

"What were you talking about?" Karen asked motioning to where Tim and his parents now were.

"Oh, um, they're spending the summer around Europe and visiting certain states," he explained.

"That sounds interesting."

"Yeah I know – they asked me to join them."

There was silence.

"It's only for a couple of months. I'll have plenty of time to pack for Duke and say my… goodbyes." He explained.

"Well, do you want to go?" Karen asked. Lucas shrugged.

"It'd be nice. How often do you get a chance to see where Keats' died? Or where Mark Twain wrote-"

"I think you should go," Brooke piped up. Everyone stared at her, "It's a good opportunity and this summer is supposed to be about getting what you want, right? Not letting anybody hold you back or control you." Lucas nodded, "So you should go. Have fun… learn… save the female population from Tim." She laughed a little forcefully.

"I agree," Nathan backed her up. "It sounds like something you'd enjoy and love - and I think you should get away from Tree Hill for a while."

"I guess…" Lucas sighed.

"So, is it settled?" Karen asked. Lucas took a deep breath and gave a nod, and Karen left to discuss the details with Tim's parents.

Lucas looked at his three friends and gave them a forced smile. Tim ran up to Lucas, patting him on the back excitedly, "Alright! Me and Lucas Scott tearing it up in Europe! This trip is going to rock! My dad always makes his videotapes on these trips – and he and Steph are doing some really freak-"

"Ew, Tim, you can stop right there!" Brooke held up a hand and made a face.

"Come on," Tim tugged Lucas' gown, "Let's get off these stupid gowns and head up to mine. I swiped my dad's liquor key, and invited all these really hot sophomore and juniors. We've got to celebrate!"

"Not right now," Lucas told him, trying to give him a hint. Unfortunately, the young man didn't get it.

"Yes right now. Otherwise we won't have a chance to celebrate if you're busy packing."

"Huh?" Lucas squinted.

"You know, for Europe. We leave tomorrow. Didn't I tell you that?"

"That soon?"

"If we want to fit in all those boring places, and all those hot girls – then we need to leave as soon as possible." Tim explained.

Lucas glanced at the group, all of whom seemed as shocked as he was.

"Then I guess I'd better go home and pack," Lucas said, scratching his head. He turned to Brooke, "Uh… do you need a lift home?" he asked, somewhat hopefully.

She shook her head, "Nah, Haley and I were going to go shopping."

"We were?" Haley asked. Brooke nudged her to play along. "Oh yeah, we were."

"Oh, okay. Then I guess I'll be going then." Lucas seemed more than a little disappointed.

"Hey, um, I'll come with. You know you can't pack to save your life." Nathan offered, much to Lucas' relief. They said their quick goodbyes to the girls before making their way to Lucas' car.

Once they'd gone, Haley looked at Brooke and sighed.

"What?" Brooke retorted. Haley shrugged.

"I'm not saying a _word_," she promised.

-----

"So are you ever going to talk to Brooke?" Nathan asked as he helped Lucas take down his suitcase from his closet. Lucas frowned.

"Talk to Brooke about what?" he asked.

"About your situation." Nathan sat himself down on a nearby chair, while Lucas began pulling suitable clothes out of the closet.

"We don't have a situation." Lucas replied. Nathan rolled his eyes.

"You aren't visiting a little place called 'Denial' this summer, are you?" Lucas shot him a look, "Come on, Lucas. You and Brooke have been doing the same old dance for months – and now you're going globe-trotting with Tim for the summer."

"So?" Lucas urged his brother to get to the point.

"So," Nathan said throwing a small sponge basketball at the hoop fixed to Lucas' door, "Aren't you even going to talk to her about where you stand?"

"There isn't anything to talk about. We're friends. That's all." Lucas insisted.

"Of course you are. I mean, there's no real reason why the two of you have been acting so weird lately."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Ever since you announced you were going to Duke, both of you have become so much quieter. You got worked up over the color of those stupid gowns-"

"They were _maroon_!" Lucas reminded him, getting ever so slightly annoyed about it.

"Whatever. You didn't go to prom."

"Because it's a stupid tradition. I don't need to go to _another_ dance with the same people I've seen for the last four years. Besides, I mostly hang around with you and your group." Lucas said suddenly realizing that he'd spent most of his senior year hanging around juniors.

"And let's not forget who is also in _my _group. Give you a clue – starts with B, ends in E and has 'rook' in the middle."

"You're crazy," Lucas told him pointedly as he began stuffing the clothes into the suitcase.

"Maybe. But what happens when you come back from your trip and she's dating someone else? Or you found someone else? Do you think either of you can take that? Last time she dated somebody, you collapsed at the Rivercourt."

"That was completely different – and nothing to do with whatshisface." Lucas made a vague hand motion to show Nathan he was completely cool about it.

"Okay… but you will talk to her before you leave right? Even if it's just to say goodbye."

"I'm coming back in two months. I'll still have two or three odd weeks before I have to actually move. I think we can hold off the goodbyes for a couple of months." Lucas said with a grin.

"I wouldn't risk it." Nathan commented.

"Well, you're not me." Lucas' good mood seemed to vanish. "I have to pack right now, so if you're done with your oh-so-wise advice; I could really use some quiet."

Nathan held up his hands in surrender, "Fine, I'm leaving. Enjoy your summer and call me when you get back." His knocked fists with Lucas and left the house.

-----

"Do you have your passport?" Karen asked as she inspected Lucas' suitcase. Unsatisfied with the finished product, she began unpacking it again.

"Yes, and Mom, that's the eighth time you're unpacking and repacking. Will you leave it alone?"

"I'm just making sure you have everything," she replied with a groan as she pulled out a pair of tatty jeans. "Do you really want these?"

"They're expensive!"

"They look old."

"That's the style."

"Yeah, for a homeless guy," Brooke snorted. "Sorry," she apologized when Lucas gave her an exasperated look.

"Make sure you take this," Karen suggested as she held up a large, fleecy sweatshirt Lucas hadn't even worn yet. "It might get cold."

"In Europe in the summer? I don't think so," Lucas tossed it aside.

"Well, I've heard it's always raining in England," Brooke said, earning another glare, "What? It's true. They get, like, sunshine four days out of the year or something."

"I'll take my chances, thanks." Lucas replied.

"There!" Karen announced proudly as she finished packing the suitcase up. "I think we're done."

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked, "Because in between the eight pairs of jeans, five pairs of shorts, nineteen t-shirts, seven sweatshirts, two hoodies, twenty pairs of underwear and four pairs of shoes; I think you may have forgotten something!" Lucas replied dryly.

"Oh! Sunscreen!" Karen said as she began looking through the suitcase again to make she she'd packed it. "Here it is!" she announced pulling it out from the bottom.

"Mom, you know they do have sunscreen in Europe."

"Except maybe England!" Brooke piped up.

"That's it," Lucas said as Karen finished packing the suitcase – again, "If I forgot anything else; I'll pick it up somewhere. Don't worry."

"Okay," Karen conceded. "I'll go pack you something for the plane," she said as she ran into the kitchen.

"Tim will be here in five minutes!" Lucas argued but his mother was already in the kitchen and preparing sandwiches.

Brooke shifted awkwardly as she and Lucas were left alone. He smiled at her as he lifted his suitcase off the bed.

"So…" she said, "Sounds like you're going to have a great time."

He nodded, "Yeah. But then there's Tim so…" she giggled.

"Yeah. Make sure you look after him."

"I will." Lucas replied with a nod.

"Lucas! They're here!" Karen's voice came from the kitchen as she heard the sound of a car pulling up.

"I guess I'd better go," Lucas told Brooke.

"Want any help with your bags?" she asked. He stared down at the huge suitcase in between them. "On seconds thoughts, you're the strong one…"

He smiled, "I'll see you in a couple of months," he told her.

She nodded, "Have a good summer. And I will be expecting presents from every place you visit – just so you know."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Lucas said. He heard the car honk at him. "Anyway…"

"Yeah. Have fun!" she said. He pressed his lips to her forehead and gave her a small kiss, lingering ever so slightly to pick up the faint scent of her hair.

"You too," he replied as he left his room with his suitcase in tow.

Brooke stayed behind in his room for a few minutes before taking a deep breath and joining Karen on the porch.

Lucas was putting his big suitcase in the trunk while Tim waved frantically at Brooke. Brooke returned the wave. As Lucas sat in the car, he gave them a quick salute before it drove off into the distance.

Karen sighed, pushing back a couple of stray strands of Brooke's hair and putting an arm around her waist. "So I guess it's just you and me this summer, huh?"

Brooke nodded, "I guess it is."

**To Be Continued…**


	38. Times When You & I Were You & Me

_I guess that by now everyone has heard the sad news about Chad and Sophia. All I can say is that whatever the reason for their split, I hope that they manage to resolve it soon because they do truly seem to be in love. I wish them both nothing but happiness whether it is together or apart. _

'_People that belong together **always **find their way in the end.'_

Flashbacks in _italics._

**Chapter Thirty Eight: Times When You & I Were You & Me**

Brooke stared down at the phone by her bed and bit her lip nervously, her thumbs twiddling and her leg bouncing up and down.

"Stop that." Peyton warned. Brooke turned around to her friend who was sitting beside her on the bed.

"What?" she asked.

"The whole leg thing. It's moving the bed and I can't draw," Peyton complained.

"There's a desk over there!" Brooke pointed across the room and Peyton snorted.

"You mean the one buried under all your junk? The bed's just fine," the blonde said.

"Then quit complaining." Brooke bit back irritably.

"What's going on?" Haley asked as she returned with some popcorn.

"Brooke's pining over the phone again," Peyton explained.

"I am not doing the phone thing," Brooke replied indignantly.

"Let's see," Haley said pretending to think. "Is Brooke sitting next to the phone?"

"Check." Peyton replied.

"Is she biting her lip-slash-nails?" Haley continued. Peyton craned her neck to see, and Brooke slowly moved her thumb away from her mouth.

"Check."

"Is she doing that annoying leg bounce?" Haley asked.

"Yup!" Peyton said.

"Ding-ding-ding! I think Brooke is pining over the phone." Haley announced with a grin.

"I hate you both," Brooke pouted as she crossed her arms and turned away from the phone – focusing instead on the TV in front of her.

However, her act of defiance lasted mere seconds as her glance traveled once again to her phone.

"He hasn't called yet, huh?" Haley asked a little more sympathetically when she saw Brooke's disappointed look. Brooke, however, tried to cover it up with a shrug.

"No, not yet. He's probably busy or sleeping…" she said, _'hopefully alone'_.

"Don't forget the time difference," Peyton added trying to ease her best friend's mind.

"Oh yeah, it could be really late there." Haley suggested.

"I'm not bothered about it," Brooke said, "Just because he calls most days doesn't mean he'll call _everyday_. He's probably at a museum or something."

"At least he calls you," Haley huffed, "We've had eight phone calls while he's been away and four postcards."

"I haven't had any phone calls or postcards!" Peyton whined with a grin. "When does he come home, anyway?"

"Two weeks," Brooke replied with a sigh.

"He's been gone _that_ long already?" Peyton exclaimed. "B. Davis, please tell me you haven't wasted all summer in front of the damn phone!"

"Not the whole summer…" Brooke protested, "We've done a lot together. We went out to the beach, had parties, went to the mall…"

"I remember spending a lot of time in this room," Haley mused, "Hey! Is that why you're always offering to come back to yours?"

"I have a bigger room!" Brooke defended her decisions over the summer. There was a knock at the door and all three girls turned their attention on Karen, who peered into the room.

"Hey girls. Just to let you know that Dan will be on his way home in about half an hour," she fixed her gaze on Haley, who nodded in reply.

"Want me to help you with dinner?" Brooke offered as she moved off her bed and helped her friends pick up their belongings.

"No, it's almost done." Karen told Brooke, "But if you've got nothing to do – I do have one favor to ask." She seemed a little hesitant to continue.

"What is it?" Brooke questioned. Karen sighed and cocked her head to the side.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to," Karen clarified.

"Unless it's something icky and gross, then I'll totally do it," Brooke grinned.

Karen glanced at the two girls who were almost ready to leave and then back at Brooke, "Dan wants Lucas out of here as soon as possible – so I thought that we could start packing up his things. Not his clothes or anything since most of that is with him, but some of his trophies, DVDs and CDs he might want." Karen explained.

Brooke's grinned faded, "Oh."

"You don't have to do it if you're busy or if it's too… hard," Karen repeated. Brooke shook her head.

"No, no. I'll do it." She said confidently.

"Are you sure?" Peyton rubbed Brooke's arm comfortingly. "Because I can stay for a while." Brooke shook her head.

"No, I'll be fine." Brooke said. Peyton and Haley nodded somewhat slowly before leaving the house. Karen lingered at Brooke's doorway for a few moments after they left.

"Brooke, you don't have to do this. I have no idea why I even asked. I just thought it'd be easier so that he could spend time with Nathan and his friends before he left."

"No, I understand," Brooke said, "He's spent two months living out of a suitcase; I doubt he wants to do _more_ packing."

Karen nodded, "Well, dinner will only be another twenty minutes. After that, I'll take over."

"I'll do it," Brooke said once again. Satisfied, Karen returned to the kitchen, leaving Brooke with the task before her.

With an uneasy sigh, Brooke left the comforts of her own room, and entered Lucas'.

--------

Basking under the hot sun of Italy, Lucas sat opposite Stephanie Smith as they sipped coffee.

"Have you called your parents yet?" Steph asked. Lucas shook his head.

"No, not today."

"Well, maybe you should when we get back to the hotel." Steph replied. Lucas nodded. "You seem distracted again," she commented, "Brooke?"

Lucas nodded. During their vacation, Lucas had found himself strangely able to confide in his friend's step-mother. He'd told her all about his relationship with Brooke, and his family background, including Dan pushing everyone away. She'd been there to listen at first, but now she found herself giving the young man advice and her own opinions.

"I was just thinking…" he began as he leant back in his chair, "She was the only girl I ever loved."

"You've told me that before."

"Yeah, I know. But with all the other girls – they were just there. The minute I turned my back on them, they were gone. I didn't have to deal with them anymore. Then suddenly, I spend months with a girl _before_ we began dating, and we become friends, start dating – and after we break up, I can't turn away from the problem anymore. I have to see her or talk to her. I've never had to do that before. It's hard."

"Well, it's always easy to go from friends to a couple. But it's much harder going from a couple to friends. Things change; hearts have been broken, and you're not as intimate anymore. It's normal. Plus, I thought you and Brooke were talking and hanging around each other."

"It's different though." Lucas sighed, "The amount of times I'd be looking at her and just want to kiss her. I was so used to holding her hand, or sitting close to her. Whenever we go out now, there's always this barrier between us."

"It has to be expected, Lucas." Steph told him. "You just work at it."

"I guess…" Lucas replied.

"Talk to her when you get back," she advised, "You only have a few weeks before Duke, so you'd better make the most of it. I remember when I split up with my high school boyfriend. I still loved him, and from what I heard, he still loved me. The only thing is that neither of us had the courage to speak up and come clean about the way we were feeling. So we put it off and went our separate ways. Seven years later, and bam! He married a girl he met in college, they have a kid – and I have Barry and… Tim. I'm not saying that I don't love Barry and I don't enjoy my life – but there's always that 'what if' scenario running through my head. Things could have worked out between us, or they may not have. Either way, at least I would have known for sure."

Lucas silently listened to the story. "You're a sweet kid, Lucas. And I can tell from the way you talk about her that you still love her – a lot. But it means nothing if you're not man enough to admit your feelings and see where it takes you."

Steph finished her little speech and sighed as she asked for the bill, "Come on," she urged, "You haven't experienced Italy if you haven't taken a gondola ride."

--------

"Hey Lucas," Nathan greeted as he picked up the phone, "I'm surprised you remember you have a brother!" he joked.

"Ha, you're funny. I've just been busy." Lucas' voice on the other end was slightly faint and cracked.

"Not busy enough to call home practically every other day. What's up with that?" Nathan complained.

"Sorry, Nate," Lucas apologized.

"Don't worry. It's Haley that's taken it personally. I know you're enjoying yourself to much to care about us. So, where are you?"

"In my hotel room in Italy."

"Italy? Cool. Where's Tim?"

"He and his dad have gone to watch some soccer match."

"You didn't go?" Nathan asked. "I thought you liked soccer."

"I didn't feel like it. I spent the day with Steph."

"Looking at boring places where boring authors wrote boring books?" Nathan asked.

"Actually," Lucas' tone was a little scathing at his brother's remark, "We decided to just enjoy Italy. We went for a gondola ride."

"Isn't that one of those little boats?"

"Yeah. Dude, pick up an encyclopedia once in a while," Lucas shook his head and chuckled on the other end.

"So, how was it?" Nathan asked. There was silence on the other end.

"Are you alone?" Lucas asked. Nathan frowned.

"Yeah… this isn't going to be anything disturbing, is it?"

"What I'm about to tell you can't leave the room. Or this conversation. You can't even tell Haley."

"What did you do?" Nathan asked.

"I… I kissed Steph."

"You made out with Tim's mom!" Nathan exclaimed.

"I didn't make out with her, I just kissed her. It was like a… three second thing. Plus, she's Tim's _step-mom_."

"Whatever, dude, you still did it. How did it happen?"

"Don't make this a big deal."

"It is a big deal, Lucas. She's married, and our best friend's step-mother. You can't do that."

"I know that, Nate! But that's beside the point."

"There's a point other than you wanting to be Tim's new dad?"

"It wouldn't make me—oh, forget it!" Lucas muttered. "I knew it was a mistake telling you if you're not going to help…"

"No, Lucas, I'll help but… dude." Nathan sighed, "Was it good? Cos she's hot…"

"You're married…" Lucas warned, "And it was okay, I guess. It's not going to happen again. We both agreed it was a mistake straight after it happened."

"Why did you kiss her?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know. I just got caught up in the moment. Italy is an amazing place and we were surrounded by all these couples… I just kissed her, I didn't even think." Lucas explained. "I apologized and she said it was okay – but warned me never ever to do it again." He chuckled slightly, "Did you know she's a black belt in karate?"

"No," Nathan replied, "So, she was cool with it?"

"She knew I had a lot of stuff on my mind."

"Stuff like…" Nathan urged.

"Brooke." Lucas confessed.

"Figures."

"But kissing Steph made me realize something," Nathan waited patiently for Lucas to continue, "She's the first girl I've kissed since Brooke and I broke up."

"And?" Nathan didn't see the point.

"And… it was good. It felt freeing or something. For months I've been tip-toeing around Brooke, not knowing how to act around her, whether we'd be getting back together or not. After what happened at Tim's party, even _looking _at another girl besides Brooke made me feel guilty, even though we weren't together. I don't know… I think kissing Steph was that jump I needed to… finally move on."

"Move on?" Nathan repeated. He wasn't entirely sure what Lucas was getting at.

"Don't you understand? I can finally stop pining over Brooke and accept that we'll never be together again. I'd be okay seeing her with someone else, and I think I'm ready to _be_ with someone else." Lucas seemed pleased and satisfied.

"That's great, man. I'm happy for you." Nathan told him. "So… does this mean you've seen pretty Italian girls?" he questioned. Lucas chuckled.

"No, none that stick out in my mind but… who knows?" he sighed, "Anyway, bro, I'd better get going. Tell Haley I haven't forgotten about her, okay?"

"Sure thing." He paused, "I still can't believe you made out with—"

"Dude!" Lucas warned, "Get over it."

"Fine, fine," Nathan conceded, "Just… make sure Tim never finds out." Lucas agreed whole-heartedly. "Take care, man. I'll see you in a few weeks."

"See ya," Lucas hung up the phone just as his hotel door opened. He groaned, "Tim, what have I said about knocking?"

Tim didn't hear Lucas' comment and instead thrust a piece of paper in front of Lucas' face.

"What's that?" Lucas asked.

"The number of a _fine_ girl I met at the soccer match," Tim said excitedly.

"That's nice." Lucas wasn't the least bit interested in Tim's latest exploit.

"We're going on a date tonight… and she's bringing a friend." Tim wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Tim…" Lucas began, knowing where this was going.

"Luke! Come on! We've been touring around for months and you haven't hooked up with a girl once." Lucas' mind quickly fluttered to his earlier kiss with Steph.

"So?"

"So?" Tim repeated, "You have to get back in the game. Or are you _still_ into Brooke?"

"I'm not into Brooke anymore," Lucas revealed.

"Then what's the problem?" Tim asked, "Because before you and Brooke hooked up, you were always up for a one night thing. Now you're all…"

"I'll go," Lucas agreed with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He figured agreeing would be the only way to shut Tim up, and give himself an opportunity to get out there again.

Tim's grin grew wider, "Man, this is going to—"

"Rock? Yes, I know. Get out of my room," Lucas said with a small roll of his eyes.

Tim obliged and left the room, but Lucas could here Tim faintly whooping in delight. He shook his head and turned to his closet.

What to wear?

--------

Brooke piled the CDs into boxes, glancing once or twice at the artists and rolling her eyes. Lucas never did have good taste. Although she had to admit that she'd enjoyed one or two when she'd heard them. Or, rather, was forced to listen to them.

She grinned slightly as she tossed a particular one into the box.

"_Lucas, I don't want to listen to your crappy music," Brooke was sat on Lucas' bed while he was fiddling with his CD player._

"_I'll be five seconds," he promised. _

"_But I want to make out now…" Brooke whined. He shook his head and smiled. _

"_I'm almost there," he told her. Brooke sighed and waited impatiently until she heard strummings of music begin to play. "Finally!" she exclaimed. _

"_Listen to it." He told her. She sighed heavily and listened to a few seconds. _

"_Done. Now kiss me," she demanded. He chuckled. _

"_For longer than five seconds."_

"_We can listen while we're making out. It's called multi-tasking." She grinned. He shook his head. _

"_Listen to the words," he said gently. She frowned. _

'…_Lay me down in a field of flame and heather. Render up my body into the burning heart of God in the belly of a black-winged bird…'_

"_Sound familiar?" Lucas asked. Brooke nodded and his grin grew wide. "That's because it's our song."_

"_When did we agree to this?" Brooke pulled away from Lucas as he leaned in to kiss her. "I don't even know what this is!"_

"_It's The Counting Crows. 'Rain King'? It was playing on the radio when we agreed to start dating after the Classic." Lucas sighed, wondering if he'd just made an idiot out of himself. Fortunately, Brooke slowly nodded as she remembered some of the words. _

"_Oh, now I remember!" she smiled before it faded, "Isn't this a really depressing song?" she seemed offended. _

"_Uh…" Lucas scratched the back of his head, "forget about the words. It's the importance behind it."_

"_Why couldn't we have some happy song?" she asked, "Like some boy band song where they're declaring their love for their woman while dancing and posing for the camera?" _

"_Because we're not in the 90s anymore," Lucas replied. "It's a good song!"_

"_Yeah, well it's nice to know that 'our song' includes the words 'dying' and 'lying'."_

"_Brooke, would you forget about the lyrics? This song has a lot of meaning behind it. It marked the start of our official relationship… one month ago…" he trailed off hoping she'd get the hint. _

"_What was the song we listened to when—" he silenced her with a kiss. _

_As they pulled apart, he grinned and whispered; "Happy one month anniversary, Brooke."_

Brooke pushed the box to once side as she crawled towards Lucas' closet, knowing that he kept some of his old CDs in a box there too. As she rooted around the top shelf of the closet, trying to find the box without then falling on top of her; she caught sight of one she'd never seen before. Momentarily forgetting what she was supposed to be doing, she pulled out the unfamiliar one and blew off the thin layer of dust.

Sitting herself down on the floor, she opened the top of it and peered inside, her mouth slowly falling open as she inspected the contents.

It was his 'Brooke box'.

There were items of clothing Brooke forgotten existed, piles of pictures carefully stored in safe corners or on the inside of books, ticket stubs from movies they'd gone to see, and coasters from bars they'd been to. She pulled out a book and out fell a line of pictures they'd taken in a photobooth during a trip to the mall.

They'd been goofing around, and Brooke just happened to have an ice cream, which gradually found its way all over Lucas' face within the time it took to take four pictures.

The edges of Brooke's lips twitched into a grin as memories of their better times came flooding back; the box acting like a catalyst as feelings she hadn't felt for months began to resurface.

She had missed him while he was away for the summer, but she that had been the entire entity of Lucas Scott. She'd missed him being there at breakfast and dinner. She missed hearing his lame music blasting out from his room. His video games that hadn't been played for a while were slowly gathering dust near the Playstation.

Now, she began to miss those smirks he'd give her on the sly; the way he'd squint when thinking or reading one of his books; how he'd wrestle the remote away from her when he wanted to watch ESPN and she wanted to watch E!. She missed hearing his voice – especially the way it dipped low when he wished her good night as they disappeared into their individual rooms.

"Brooke! Dinner's ready!" Karen's voice broke her out of her reverie.

She roughly wiped at tears she had only realized were falling and quickly put all the stuff back in the box. Brooke pushed it back to the top of the closet and shut it quickly, wondering if she'd made a mistake by discovering it.

She hoped that by the time dinner was over, the rush of old feeling would somehow fade and she could go back to only thinking of him as a friend. The last thing she needed to do was return to the past and put herself out there again. Inevitably, it would only result in a broken heart. The best thing to do would be to forget the discovery and move on.

Unfortunately, it was not to be.

That night, she lay in bed awake and staring at the ceiling. Her own 'Lucas box' had been taken out and looked at before being stuffed back into the darkest corner of her closet as if it was evidence she didn't want around her.

Brooke closed her eyes momentarily and thought about what Lucas would say if she told him that she wanted another try. The thought brought a small smile formed on her face.

But unknown to her; Lucas had already let her go, and whatever remnants of romantic feelings he had for her, were gradually fading as the night wore on.

**To Be Continued… **


	39. Running In Circles, Coming Up Tails

_I feel really bad for giving you all such a short chapter. I've been swamped with Uni work at the moment and suddenly seem to be sleeping for longer than usual. This is basically one normal sized chapter cut in half because a) It's been ages since I last updated, b) because I felt that I should at least give you all something. _

_The next chapter will be longer. I promise. Just yell at my lecturers for giving me lots of reading (I despise my textbooks) and essays. Also, many apologies for any spelling and grammar mistakes. It's almost midnight and I'm far too lazy to check for them at the moment. _

_And mega thanks to Cari for being so awesome in helping me figure bits out. And everyone should go read her fics – especially 'Independent Women' because it has BL, NH as well as oodles of JP, BH, LN, LH and BN._

**Chapter Thirty Nine: Running In Circles, Coming Up Tails**

Brooke chewed her lip nervously as she stirred the big punch bowl of lemonade. The Scott-James apartment, despite how small it was, was covered with 'Welcome Home' and 'Good Luck' banners.

Both Haley and Brooke had very different ideas of what party to throw for Lucas. Brooke wanted a 'Welcome Home' theme; whereas Haley thought a 'Good Luck' party would be better so that they didn't have to celebrate it later on. Brooke tried to convince everyone that they could have both parties within the remaining week Lucas would be in Tree Hill.

It was Nathan's idea to keep the peace between his wife and brother's ex-girlfriend by combining the two – no matter how contradictory the theme was.

So here she was waiting for Nathan to drive his brother back to the apartment and welcome him with open arms after his two months with Tim.

Two and a half months if you wanted to get technical about it. Tim Smith being his usual dumb self managed to catch some sort of fever and was unable to fly. Lucas and the Smiths had stayed behind until Tim was given the all clear. The last thing any of them needed was to catch it themselves.

So it had been four weeks since Brooke discovered the box in his closet.

That was four weeks since she'd realized that she wanted to be with Lucas more than anything.

Four weeks since all the hurt and pain she'd held inside began to fade as her yearning to forgive Lucas grew.

And four weeks worth of sleepless nights as she contemplated on the best way to tell him.

Finally, he was coming home. While everybody else was anticipating his return and getting ready to celebrate – Brooke was both dreading and excited to see him again.

She hadn't told anyone about her change of mind. Partly because she didn't want anyone to tell her it was a stupid idea – and secondly because she knew deep down she'd chicken out anyway and didn't want them to force her to say it.

The simple truth was that she was terrified of how he'd react.

It wasn't helped by the fact that there were currently fifty people crammed into Nathan and Haley's apartment.

"He's here! He's here!" Haley jumped with glee as she saw her husband's car pull up outside their apartment block. Fifty people suddenly all tried to find a place to hide – after all, it was supposed to be a surprise.

Brooke found herself hidden behind a plant that did nothing but poke its leaf in her eye. She blew it away noisily only to be 'shushed' by Haley and the leaf to return to its original position anyway. They could all hear the faint conversation going on between Lucas and Nathan outside as the key turned in the lock slowly.

"Why don't you come inside, Lucas!" Nathan seemingly yelled as a warning to the others in the house.

'_We're already hiding, dumbass.'_ Brooke thought to herself as she rolled her eyes.

Lucas strolled in and before Brooke could even begin to admire his tanned body, everyone else jumped up and yelled 'Surprise!' at the top of their lungs.

Lucas jumped slightly and looked at everyone, a laugh erupting from his throat and sending shivers down Brooke's spine. Through everyone else's greetings and hubbub, she could make out his voice – still chuckling – and thanking everyone.

Brooke took a breath and made her way to the front of the crowd. Lucas was just finishing hugging Haley when he looked up and spotted the brunette standing in front of him. She offered a small smile as he straightened up. Once Haley cleared the path, the two looked at one another for a few seconds before Lucas pulled Brooke into a hug.

"Hey," she greeted, "Welcome home." Brooke noticed he hadn't changed his cologne and it was still the same familiar scent that haunted his room. "I missed you, Lucas Scott."

"I missed you too," he told her as he pulled away, "Pretty girl," he added, causing her to blush slightly.

"Good trip?" she asked.

"Yeah, it was." He nodded his head, "But it's still nice to be home."

Brooke opened her mouth to say something but Lucas was mobbed by a few more well-wishers. She backed away slightly and decided that she'll try and catch him again a little later on.

As she weaved her way back through the crowd and into the kitchen, Lucas watched the retreating girl out of the corner of his eye.

Something was different about her.

She didn't stiffen slightly when he'd hugged her, which was something she had done ever since they'd broken up. Instead, she had lingered in the hug a little longer than was necessary and it seemed as if she had something to say.

As he watched her talk to somebody in the kitchen, he noticed her smile was less genuine that usual. He knew her fake smiles from her real ones. It was almost as if she was holding something back.

Something was definitely off.

-----

Almost two hours into the party, Brooke still hadn't got Lucas alone. She'd seen him manage to wrangle his way out of one group of people but instantly find himself in the middle of another group who ever eager to find out what he'd done over the summer.

Finally, she saw him wave to a few people and make his way into the kitchen to fix himself a drink. Seeing her chance, Brooke almost ran from the living room to the area Lucas was in.

But when she saw him, he was already talking to Nathan. She figured that Nathan wouldn't mind if she stole him for a few minutes.

"So, we haven't really had a chance to talk about Isabella," Nathan grinned putting an Italian accent on the name.

Brooke frowned from her position slightly behind them. Neither of the brothers had seen her.

"What's to tell? We met. We went out. We had fun. I had to go." Lucas explained.

"Did you…?" Nathan let the question hang and Lucas merely nodded. "So are Italian girls any better?" Nathan seemed curious. Lucas patted his brother's shoulder and whispered something in his ear, eliciting a laugh from the both of them. "Dude, you spent a whole month with this girl… so, was it just a summer fling?"

Brooke's body tightened and her throat seemed to go dry, as Lucas shrugged.

"We swapped numbers but I guess I wouldn't be too broken up if we never keep in touch. It was just… fun. I liked her a lot and she was great to get back into the dating game. I'm just not looking for anything serious at the moment."

"It's back to the old 'before-Brooke' Lucas Scott?" Nathan asked. Lucas shook his head.

"No, I'm tired of that."

"But you just said you weren't looking for anything serious."

"I'm not. There's nothing wrong with playing the field. A few dates here and there and maybe something might work out for a while, but I'm not going to put too much effort in it. If it happens; it happens. Everything else is just fun on the way."

Brooke couldn't take it anymore. While she was agonizing over her feeling for him; he was hundreds of miles away screwing some Italian girl.

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the apartment, settling herself on the steps outside.

She cursed herself for being so stupid and put her head in her hands in despair.

"There you are," Lucas said as he came outside and saw her. He sat down next to her. "I haven't seen you almost all night. I was afraid you'd already left."

Brooke shook her head, "No, I've just been busy."

"So, how was your summer?" Lucas asked.

"It was good. Went down to the beach, went to the mall, hung out… the usual."

"I see you worked on your tan," Lucas noted lazily moving his fingers down her arm to prove his point. She pulled it away.

"Could say the same about you," she replied.

His eyes narrowed, "Are you okay? You seem distracted."

"I'm fine."

"Something's bothering you."

"Lucas, I'm fine." She insisted. "Now, tell me about this Italian girl." Lucas looked at her.

"How did yo-"

"I overheard you and Nathan talking. It's okay," she tried to show him that she was fine about it. Lucas took the hint.

"I just felt that it was time to move on. Like you have."

"Right, yeah," Brooke mumbled as she scratched her arm, "So… does this mean the women at Duke have to worry about Lucas Scott and his old ways?" Lucas smirked.

"No," he confirmed, "I don't want to be that guy anymore – but there's nothing wrong with the odd hook-up. I'm just playing the field." He paused, "This feels odd talking to you about this."

"A little." Brooke gulped, "Uh, I helped Karen pack away most of your stuff so you're free to spend this week however you want. See Nathan, play at the Rivercourt… you know."

"Thanks. You didn't have to."

"But I did," Brooke said as she got up.

"Where are you going?"

"I have some stuff to do. I'll see you at home." She excused herself.

"Yeah. Thanks for throwing the party. Nathan said it was half your idea." He grinned, and she smiled back.

"No problem."

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again. Brooke nodded.

"Yeah, Lucas, I'm fine."

"You just seem really distracted." He explained. Brooke looked away and then back at him, her arms folding protectively in front of her body.

"It's nothing. Really." She insisted again before walking away from him.

Lucas watched her go. He knew something was definitely up. He wondered if it was anything to do with Isabella, but she had been acting strange even before she knew about her.

He also knew that 'fine' was not in her vocabulary.

**To Be Continued…**

_Okay, so now review and yell at me for being so miserly with the length of this chapter and being such a sucky writer for ignoring this for so long. _


	40. Watch The Girl Unfold

_Ooooh, this is the big 4-0 chapter. Sorry you all waited so long – I didn't realize it'd been three week already - but you'll be glad to know that because this is such a milestone of a chapter (in more ways then one, hint-hint), it's slightly longer and mo-- I might just stop there before I reveal too much :D_

_A big thank you goes to Cari who is just so awesome to put up with me constantly asking her questions about what works and what doesn't. Plus, she updated IW and kept up her part of the deal, so here's my end of the bargain (oh, and I am so not a part-timer – except of course, the part when I am!)_

_Enjoy this chapter!_

**Chapter Forty: Watch The Girl Unfold**

Brooke's strange behavior continued throughout most of the week. She desperately tried to avoid any situation where she'd be with Lucas alone, or where she'd have to see him with other girls. Her defense mechanism for this particular situation was to flirt as outrageously and as recklessly with whoever happened to catch the slightest of her attention.

Brooke Davis may be a flirt, but none of those who knew her had seen her behave like this before. Well, only when she had been angry at them all for lying to her about Lucas' tryst with the other girl – whatever her name was.

"Sarah," a voice brought Brooke's attention back to the tanned and slightly sweaty lifeguard in front of her.

"Huh?" she hadn't even been listening.

"I said my sister's name is Sarah Douglas. She's in your grade at Tree Hill High. I think she said she was in your…" Brooke tuned the lifeguard out. She wasn't even sure why she was talking to him.

Or listening to him.

She smiled and nodded half-heartedly before making an excuse and walking off in the other direction, back towards where Haley and Peyton were sunbathing.

"Did the hot lifeguard bore you already?" Peyton asked shielding her eyes from the sun as she watched Brooke approach and plop herself down on her beach towel.

"Wasn't interesting enough." Brooke shrugged.

"Well with the way you ran after him the minute he even glanced at you, you gave up quick. I thought you were going to quote-show him the time of his life-unquote," Peyton made quotation marks with her fingers.

"I told you before, he wasn't interesting enough." Brooke said a little firmer, indicating that she wanted Peyton to drop the subject.

"I have to say that you've been acting very weird this past summer," Haley commented.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that for a whole chunk of it you were pining-" Brooke shot Haley a look, "I mean… uninterested in anyone else but Lucas. Yet, the minute he gets home, it's everyone else but Lucas. What changed?"

"Nothing," Brooke said, "I just… I realized I let the whole summer pass me by and I didn't really hook up with anyone."

"So you decide to hook up with as many boys as you can in the last week?" Peyton asked in disbelief.

"It's not like I slept with all of them."

"It's not like you didn't try either."

"Peyton, I'm serious. If you don't shut your mouth in the next ten seconds, I swear to God that I will let you fall asleep in the sun and peel!" Brooke hissed. Peyton and Haley exchanged a concerned look.

"Okay, why is bitch being a Brooke?" Haley questioned, glad she was sitting between the two girls.

"Just… forget it," Brooke sighed as she placed her sunglasses over her eyes. "I'm over it anyway."

"Over what?" Peyton mouthed to Haley, who shrugged in reply.

"Haley," Brooke commanded Haley's attention a little while later. Haley replied with a 'hmmm?' "How did you know Nathan was… y'know… The One?" the brunette questioned.

Haley's lips tugged into a wistful smile, "I don't know," she replied honestly. "It was somewhere between him giving me a crackerjack bracelet and asking me to marry him. I'm not even sure how or when it happened – it just did. I couldn't stand him when I first met him but somehow I just fell in love and just knew that he was the one I was going to spend the rest of my life with."

"So you guys hated each other and then fell in love?" Brooke asked. Haley nodded.

"Yeah."

Brooke bit her lip and turned to Peyton, "How about you and Jake, Peyton? Did you guys hate each other?"

Peyton's curls bounced as she shook her head, "No, no. We were just friends. That's all we were for a long time. I think both of us were too afraid to take that step because we didn't want to ruin our friendship but eventually we just had to." Peyton took a sip of her cola, "There came to be a point where I just felt as if I was going to burst or something if I didn't tell him how I felt. Fortunately, he felt the same and the rest is history."

Brooke gulped. "Sweet."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Haley asked again.

"Peachy," Brooke replied not daring to look in Haley's direction for fear she might just break down and confess.

Unfortunately, she turned just in time to see Lucas walk past; his arm slung around some pretty-looking girl Brooke vaguely remembered seeing around school. The girl threw her head back as she laughed at something Lucas said. Brooke rolled her eyes, and the motion didn't go amiss by Haley.

"What's wrong?"

Brooke nudged her head towards Lucas' girl-of-the-day. "Have you seen the way she's just throwing herself at him? And that fake laugh, urgh! I've heard Lucas' jokes and they're not even that good."

"Relax, he's just having fun. Like you were not five minutes ago." Peyton reminded her.

"Well there's fun, and there's fun…" She paused, "And then there's slutty-fun with Lucas." Brooke made a face.

"Wow, can you believe Lucas is leaving tomorrow?" Haley said softly. "I can't believe it's been a week already."

"I've never been a big Lucas fan but he's definitely grown on me this past year." Peyton mused.

"Do you remember a few months ago when Jake and Lucas…" Haley's humorous tale became lost in Brooke's mind as she anxiously began biting her nails as she continued to watch the distanced figure of Lucas talking to more girls.

He seemed happier than she'd seen him for months. Maybe that was because he really and truly had moved on and didn't want her anymore.

Cursing herself for not realizing it sooner, Brooke wondered if he'd even be interested in her again.

She placed her sunglasses back over her eyes and shut them tightly, trying to think and clear her head of all the emotions and thoughts spinning around.

She had exactly one day.

---------

Lucas Scott sat at the dinner table happily chatting away to his mother. Over the last week, he'd noticed Karen staring at him with a twinkle in her eye and a few times he'd caught her sobbing.

He'd asked her what was wrong and she'd always tell him the same thing; "My baby is growing up."

It caused Lucas to roll his eyes. He was only moving a stone's throw away. At least he wasn't going out-of-state.

But he had to admit that he was also a little pleased and happy that she was going to miss him. At least she cared, unlike his father who had resorted to giving snide remarks and just grunting at him.

And now Lucas was having his last meal with his family. He looked opposite him at Brooke who was engrossed in her food.

At least his mother would miss him.

After the incident at the party, he hadn't really spoken to Brooke as much as he'd liked. It was both of their faults; he was too busy with Nathan, Jake and all the female attention he was receiving, and from what he'd seen of Brooke, she was too busy with all those guys.

"So, mom, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Lucas asked.

Karen took a sip of her wine, "Um… see you off, clean up your room, call my lawyer and make dinner."

Dan looked up, "Why are you calling your lawyer?" he questioned.

Karen put down her fork, "Because I'm divorcing you, Dan." She said calmly. Dan just stared at his wife, while Lucas and Brooke looked at each other in surprise.

"Karen-" Dan began but his wife stood up from the dining table and began clearing away the plates that were only half eaten. Dan chased after his wife, leaving Brooke and Lucas contemplating the bombshell.

"Did you know about this?" Lucas asked Brooke who shook her head.

"No, I had no idea." Brooke replied. She bit her lip, "You… okay? I mean divorce is usually difficult for the kids."

Lucas scoffed, "It certainly will be easier to visit my mom. Plus, I'm eighteen and Nate is emancipated so there are no custody battles."

"That's a fair point," Brooke conceded. Her gaze went to where Karen and Dan were busy arguing in the kitchen, "I think maybe we should leave them too it."

Lucas nodded and they made their way back to their rooms, stopping in between their respective doorways.

"So…" Lucas said leaning against the door frame and folding his arms over his chest. A motion that made Brooke almost groan with yearning. "Tonight's the last night." He mused.

"You scared?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I've always wanted to get out of Tree Hill and away from my father but at the same time… I want to stay. This last year has just made me love this town and the people in it."

Brooke nodded, "I know what you mean. Tree Hill is definitely a nice place." She agreed.

Lucas pointed to his room, "So I'd better get back in there and make sure I haven't left anything. Big day tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Lucas said as more of a demand than a question.

"Of course." Brooke offered her best smile as she turned to go into her own room.

"Uh, Brooke?" she turned back to see Lucas scratching his head. "It's only eight-thirty and I'm not even tired. Do you want to watch a movie or something in my room? It'll have to be whatever's on because I packed away all my DVDs and I really don't want to hear my parents fighting," he explained.

"I'd like that," she agreed. He nodded and let her into his room, closing the door behind them.

Though Brooke had seen Lucas' room in various states during his packing up period, she hadn't seen it when all that remained was his bed, a TV and a few odd books left on the shelves. Boxes were stacked seemingly haphazardly in piles around the room and the bed.

"You built a… fort?" Brooke asked in disbelief. Lucas looked sheepishly at the ground.

"Nate, Jake and Tim came over and we were bored." He shrugged. She chuckled slightly.

"If that's your story," she said sliding onto the bed and flicking the channels with the remote control as she searched for something to watch. "Hallow Man is on in half an hour," she suggested before realizing Lucas was staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing," he replied, "It's just that you took the right side of the bed," Lucas explained. "Just like you used to," he added under his breath. Brooke gulped. While they dated, Brooke used to take over Lucas' favorite side of the bed, and he'd always given in.

"I'll move if-"

"No," he said stopping her, "It's okay. I've gotten used to being on the left anyway." She gave him a tight smile as he walked around and sat beside her on the left. "So what are we watching?" he asked, leaning on the pillow. Brooke began to feel slightly uneasy and wondered if she'd made the right decision by agreeing to this.

"I don't mind," she relinquished control of the remote and handed it to Lucas, crossing her arms over her chest tensely as she struggled to regain her nerves.

-----

Somewhere in the middle of the movie, Brooke and Lucas had lost almost all interest and had begun chatting. Brooke had grown a lot more comfortable during the course of the evening and now was laughing and giggling along with Lucas.

"I can not believe Tim wore a banana outfit to that Halloween party. He looked like a penis!"

Lucas laughed, "Well it beat his other option – he was going to show up as a boob." Brooke rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to miss Tim and his wildly inappropriate staring. Have you noticed he never looks at my face when he talks to me? He's always looking at my chest." Lucas looked at her boobs.

"Well you have to admit they're pretty impressive!" He grinned. Brooke hit him with her pillow.

"Idiot," she said with a small smile, "But yeah, you're right!" There was a small pause between them, "Do you think Karen and Dan have stopped fighting yet?" she asked.

"I don't know," Lucas sighed.

"I hated it when my mom and dad fought. My biggest fear was that I'd be forced to choose between them – and it's not like I had to best choices. If I lived with my mom, I'd be criticized and made into some debutant, society girl. But if I chose my dad, he would always put me second to his work. I guess I lucked out by having them both just abandon me. At least my Nana was there for a while. She's the one who taught me how to wear make-up. She did all the things my mom was supposed to do. When she died, I felt so alone even if my parents were home." Brooke wiped away a tear quickly. "Oh god, I can't believe I'm crying like this."

Lucas handed her a tissue, "You've never told me that before." He said gently.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just… I hate people leaving."

He touched her hand, "Hey, you know I'm not leaving for good, right?" he said, "I'll probably visit every other weekend or something. I can't stay away from this place too long. Duke's not that far."

"I know. It just feels like things are falling apart. Your parents' divorce, you leaving… it just feels like it's my fault somehow. I mean, your dad would probably still be speaking to you if I hadn't have encouraged you to give up basketball."

"Brooke, my parents would probably still have divorced even if you weren't here. They're like a ticking bomb. This family was already broken when Nate decided to marry Haley. I know my mom loves my dad but she hates his whole obsession with molding us into these perfect basketball stars. It was only a matter of time." He put a hand under her chin and forced her to look into his eyes, "Don't ever think for a second that any of us regretted you coming here."

"Lucas…"

"I know things between us haven't been good lately, but this past year has been amazing. I don't think I'd be going to do something I want to do at college if it wasn't for you. For the first time in my life, I was genuinely happy with my life and it's all because of you."

"Lucas…" Brooke began again, feeling a moment building between them and deciding that now was a perfect opportunity to tell him.

"Promise me something?"

"Sure."

"Could you… look after my mom for me? I know the divorce is the right thing for her to do. She'll try and put up a brave face, but she loves my dad and she'll be heartbroken inside. I don't want her to feel alone."

"You don't even have to ask," Brooke replied. He smiled.

"Good," he said moving away from her slightly as he got himself more comfortable on the bed. "So what other movies are on?"

Brooke watched as he began scrolling through the movie channels and she sighed inwardly as she settled back down.

She'd have to wait.

-----

Brooke awoke slowly, feeling a weight on her stomach. Looking down, she saw a hand over her body and she followed it to the owner. She smiled as she saw Lucas' sleeping form beside her and realized that they must have fallen asleep during the other movie they'd begun watching but never finished.

Months ago it would have been a familiar scene but after everything that had happened in between, Brooke had begun to think they'd never be back there again. Shifting just enough to wake Lucas up, she grinned at him. He smiled back.

"Is it morning already?" he asked groggily, suppressing a yawn.

"Yeah, it's almost six," Brooke caught his yawn. He sighed.

"Moving day," he closed his eyes one last time and opened them to try and wake himself up. As he pulled himself off of the bed, he looked around his almost empty room, and let out a sigh. "I should probably get ready. I leave in about two hours."

"That soon?" Brooke frowned. Lucas chuckled.

"Well yeah, it'll take a few hours to get there and the whole moving in deal. Plus, I want to get to know my roommate and stuff."

"Are Nate and Haley coming over?" Brooke asked also getting off the bed and smoothing her clothes from the previous night down.

"No, we said our goodbyes yesterday. We weren't sure if my dad was going to be here when I left and I'd prefer not to have to break up a fight or whatever. It's only you and mom left really." Lucas explained searching through his suitcase for some clothes he could wear.

"Oh," Brooke scratched her head. "I didn't know."

"Don't worry about it. Mind if I grab the bathroom first?" He asked. She shook her head. "Hey, I just realized, once I'm gone, you're going to have the whole bathroom to yourself!" He grinned as he entered. Brooke smiled back but it fell when the door closed.

She flopped back onto his bed and sighed. Two hours and counting.

------

By the time Brooke was out of the shower and dressed, it was mayhem in the household. Karen was insisting Lucas keep half of his belongings at home so that he didn't have to lug everything back and forth, but Lucas wanted to take everything.

"Lucas, you don't need eighteen pairs of jeans."

"Of course I do."

"You only need five at the most and then you can keep washing them."

"Mom, I'm a college student. Do you really think I'm going to do my own washing?"

"Well, you'll have to because I'm not doing it for you!" Karen placed her hands on her hips. Lucas groaned and pulled out three pairs of jeans.

"There!"

"You still have fifteen!"

"I like wearing jeans."

"You wear those three-quarter length pants all the time. And why are you taking so many pairs on sneakers? You wear flip-flops."

"Sure Mom. And then I can be known as the guy who wears flip-flops. This isn't Tree Hill anymore."

"All I'm saying is that it'll be easier and more economical to take minimum clothing. If you need more, you can buy some or we'll send you whatever you need."

"Ma…"

"Lucas. You're only taking half of everything." Karen demanded. Lucas sulked back to his room.

"Problems?" Brooke asked as Lucas entered his bedroom to replace some clothing.

"Yeah, mom is being a b-"

"I can hear you!" Karen yelled from the living room.

Lucas rolled his eyes and Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"She could have told me this before I left. I'm supposed to leave in half an hour."

"Calm down, Lucas. She's only nagging because she loves you," she said, "And there's no use in being annoyed at her. You don't want to leave angry." She reminded him.

He nodded, "Okay," Lucas agreed as he placed some jeans and sneakers back in his closet. "But when I come back for a weekend, I'm taking them with me." He promised. She smirked.

Lucas fiddled with some stuff in his suitcase, pausing before pulling something out. He turned to Brooke.

"What's that?" she asked.

"A present," he put it down on the bed.

"For…?"

"You." She couldn't hide her excitement. But he held up a finger. "But… you have to help load up the boxes in my car first." She pouted but agreed, picking up the lightest box she could find and taking it all the way to the car.

Twenty minutes later they were all packed away and Lucas was saying goodbye to his mother and trying to gently refuse the half a dozen sandwiches she'd made for him.

Brooke, meanwhile, was in Lucas' room staring down at the wrapped present he had for her.

"You can open it if you want to," Lucas' voice said from behind her. "Unless you want to stare at it all day."

"Lucas, you scared me," Brooke held a hand to her chest.

"Sorry."

"You done?"

"I'm leaving in about ten minutes," he told her. She nodded. "So… are you going to open it or not?" he prompted. She took the present and began unwrapping it, revealing a leather-bound journal.

"It's a journal," Brooke said. He grinned.

"I felt bad for reading your diary that time and I thought you could use a new one when your other one runs out." He explained.

Brooke frowned, "You know or you think?" she queried. "Because my diary is almost full…"

"I might have… glanced at it," Lucas shrugged, "You have a bookmark in it anyway and it was near the end so I just though-"

"Thank you, Lucas," she said clutching the book. "It's sweet. I feel bad because I didn't get you anything."

"You don't have to. I just wanted to apologize for the way I treated you and all that bad stuff that happened between us."

"Me too," Brooke sniffed slightly as tears filled her eyes. "Okay, now I'm going to cry."

Lucas held out his arms for a hug, and at first Brooke was hesitant, but eventually she was pulled in by his arms. They lingered in the hug longer than was necessary and it took all of Brooke's energy to let him break it. He gave her a small grin as he pulled back.

"I'd better go," he said pointing outside. "Otherwise traffic is going to be a bitch."

_Tell him something,_ her mind screamed at her, _Tell him he has a flat tire or that it's supposed to rain._

"Yeah, sure."

She cringed and silently cursed herself as he turned around to open the door.

"Lucas?" she caught his attention once more and decided it was now or never. Walking up to him and closing the gap between them in mere seconds, she reached up and grabbed his head, pulling it closer to hers and tiptoeing slightly to reach his lips. She kissed him hard at first to keep him close and it gradually softened after he began to kiss her back.

It didn't last long.

Lucas broke away for air and quickly ventured backwards. Brooke touched her lips tenderly as Lucas looked at her in shock and to make sense of what just passed.

"Brooke," he began, "That wasn't just a goodbye kiss... was it?"

"I'm sorry," Brooke apologized, "I just… I couldn't let you go without telling you how I felt."

Lucas just stared back.

"I know this is the worst timing ever but, Lucas, I love you. I want to be with you. I want to wake up next to you _every_ morning, just like this morning. I don't want you to go." Brooke's voice faltered as tears started to fall, a wave of emotion sweeping over her as weeks of pent-up words and feelings all came out at once.

"But I'm leaving," was Lucas' response.

"I know."

"How long… how long have you felt like this?"

"A few weeks," Brooke confessed, "I found your box while you were in Italy and realized I still felt something for you and I hate the way we ended things."

"You've known that long and you waited until _now_ to say something to me?" Lucas cried.

"I know it's not the right time."

"Understatement!"

"But Lucas, I don't want you to go thinking that I've moved on, because I haven't."

Lucas looked at her, "I have, Brooke. I spent months trying to get you back, and then months trying to forget you and I never could until… until I realized you were gone."

"I was never gone, Lucas. I was just mad and angry."

"All those guys you were with…"

"Meant nothing to me. I was trying to forget _you_ and make you suffer. I thought that if I did that, then I could forget how I felt about you but they haven't."

"I have to go, Brooke," Lucas turned around again.

"Don't leave like this," Brooke pleaded, "Don't leave without giving us another chance."

"But I'll be in Duke."

"So? We can have a long-distance relationship. There are weekends, we can call, email… we can make it work."

Lucas shook his head, "I can't."

"Luke…"

"I have to go, Brooke." Lucas told her again. Those were the only thoughts circulating through his mind after Brooke's confession.

"I know, Lucas, and I'm sorry it has to be like this. But I can't let you leave without knowing if you could give us another chance."

"Brooke-"

"Just give me something, Luke. I know that there must be some part of you that wants this too. I tried to move on, I did, but I don't think I can unless I know there's something still there between us. You still feel something for me, right?" Brooke asked, her face a mix of fear, hope, desire and determination.

There was a long pause.

"No." Lucas told her, "Two or three weeks ago I might have given us another try, but... I let you go. It's over for me. I don't love you anymore, Brooke." Lucas sighed, his hand resting on the doorknob as he turned it. "I'm sorry."

He knew his words were redundant to the girl who would soon collapse to the floor in a fit of sobs and cry herself to sleep for the weeks to come.

Without a second glance, he turned and walked away.

**To Be Continued…**


	41. These Teen Hearts Beating Faster

_Massive thanks to you all for making the 40th chapter such a well-received one. Although I think a lot of you are running at me with pitchforks at this very moment. Sorry. _

_But this is a slightly happier chapter so yay! Enjoy it. Thank Cari for her help with this and flashbacks are in italics. _

_Also, a big shout out to all those on the BL thread at FF. Here's to a happy 400th thread! _

**Chapter 41: These Teen Hearts Beating Faster**

**Two Months Later**

A hand poked out from the bed covers and frantically searched for any item of her clothing. Finding her panties and jeans somewhere between the bed and the wardrobe, she threw off the covers and slung them on.

"So…" the voice belonged to the male still in bed. "Is this it? Are we done?"

Brooke turned her head as she finished doing up her jeans and gave a satisfied nod, "Yeah." She reached down for her bra and her top. When she came back up, she asked; "What about you? Are you happy now?" she didn't mean for it to sound quite so scathing.

Lucas ran a hand through his blond hair, "I guess."

"So we're over. Done. Complete. We can move on now without any messy feelings getting in the way and biting us on the ass again," Brooke finished slipping on her blouse.

"This is going to work, isn't it?" Lucas questioned watching the girl he'd been after for so long brush her hair from the tangled mess it had become during their… activities.

Brooke nodded with confidence, "Of course. We needed closure. We got some." She shrugged, "And then some more."

"Are you going back?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"When I finish putting my make-up on. I might see some cute guy in the corridor and I be looking like something the cat dragged in, can I?" she queried with a slight smile. From the mirror she was staring in, she could see Lucas get out of the bed. She blushed a little at his naked state and looked away as he pulled on his underwear and found more clothing.

A few moments later, Brooke took one last look at herself in the mirror and packed away the bag she'd brought with her.

"I think I'm all set." She announced.

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked, "Because you could stay a little longer…"

"I want to get back before it gets dark," she told him, "And plus, there's no point sticking around after things between us are cleared."

"I'll see you at Thanksgiving."

"Don't forget Christmas and New Years."

"And then there's your birt-" Lucas stopped in mid-sentence as Brooke bit her lip. "Valentine's Day," he continued.

Brooke brightened, slipping a mask on to protect herself, "Of course, and don't be alarmed if you can't open the front door – it'll be blocked with presents for me," she winked playfully and he grinned.

"Funnily enough – I don't doubt it," he teased as they made their way to the door. "I'll be seeing you." He said. She nodded.

"Yeah," she sighed, "I'm glad I came, Lucas. It was exactly what we both needed."

"Closure?"

"Yeah." She smiled softly, "I hope you find that girl you're looking for," she told him earnestly. "She's there somewhere."

Lucas gave a slight nod, "Yeah, me too. I know there's a guy out there for you, Brooke Davis. You just have to open your eyes and let him in."

With a quick, friendly hug, Brooke slipped out of Lucas' dorm room and down the corridor. Lucas watched until she was out of view before letting the door shut and leaning against the wall.

His eyes floated to his single bed that, only twenty minutes before, had easily nestled both himself and Brooke.

**Four Days Earlier**

"_I tried to move on, I did, but I don't think I can unless I know there's something still there between us. You still feel something for me, right?"_

"_I let you go. It's over for me. I don't love you anymore, Brooke. I'm sorry."_

Lucas awoke startled and gasping for breath.

His fourth nightmare this week.

As he ran a hand through his hair; most of which had matted to his sweaty forehead, he allowed his heart to gradually slow down.

His roommate flicked on the light and Lucas squinted to adapt to the change from the darkness.

"Hey man," his roommate, Matthew, said groggily as he propped himself up with his elbow and rubbed his eyes, "You okay? This is the-"

"Fourth time this week. I know," Lucas replied as he opened a nearby bottle of water.

"You really need to get this check out, Lucas. It's not healthy – especially in your condition." Matthew looked at his watched, "Thankfully, you have good timing today. It's just early enough for a run before class. Are you coming?"

Lucas shook his head. "Not today."

"So what do you have nightmares about anyway? In the two months we've been here, you've woken up almost every night with that same look on your face and sweating as if you've just finished running a marathon."

"It's nothing, Matt. Just… bad dreams." Lucas wiped a towel across his forehead.

Matthew looked at himself in the mirror as he combed his hair back.

"It's not nothing. I can tell you're not dreaming about rainbows and puppy dogs so you may as well tell me." Lucas gave no answer so Matthew tried a different approach, "Who's Brooke?"

Lucas' head snapped up.

"How-"

"You said her name."

"No I didn't," Lucas frowned though he doubted his statement. Maybe he had.

Matthew sighed, "Okay fine, I was looking for a pair of clean jeans in your closet and I found a boxful of letters addressed to her. I didn't read any but… damn man! That's a whole lot of letters. Who is she?"

"Just a girl," Lucas rubbed the back of his neck, "She's back in Tree Hill."

"You love her?" Lucas shrugged.

"I did."

"And you're not in a long-distance relationship because…?" Matthew motioned to a picture of his own girlfriend who had chosen a different college to attend.

"It's kind of a long story. We dated broke up months ago, but she wanted to give us another chance."

"And you don't feel the same way?" Matthew asked. "Is that why you're scared to send those letters?"

"Well, it's not that…" Lucas said, "I was kind of an ass to her and broke her heart into tiny little pieces. I doubt she'll ever speak to me again." Matthew winced.

"Ouch." He commented, "So, in theory, the reason you're disturbing my sleep is because you're an insensitive jackass?"

"In theory." Lucas sighed, "But there's more to it than that. Lots more."

"Have you spoken to her?"

"No."

"You should."

"How? Without her slamming the phone down on me or burning letters she never opened?"

"Aren't you going home this weekend for your mom's birthday?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah."

"Meet up with her then. If she wants nothing to do with you, then at least you can hide out at your moms."

"Yeah, there's just a slight problem with that. Brooke lives there too. In fact, her bedroom is opposite mine. It was kind of sweet when we dated but almost a disaster when we broke up." Lucas grimaced at the memories of the dirty looks and awkward moments that had occurred for the latter part of last year.

"Oh," Matthew zipped up his hoodie, "Well, good luck to you. And don't forget to take your medicine." He punched Lucas lightly on the arm before jogging out of the room.

------

"How come you didn't tell me the Jackass was coming home?" Peyton demanded to know as she stepped in line with Haley. Haley looked to her side at the blonde, wondering where she'd come from.

"Uh, hi! And I assume you mean Lucas." Haley tucked a strand of her behind her ears, "It's Karen's birthday, you should know he'd be there this weekend."

"Yes, I know but I was hoping he wasn't," Peyton sighed. "Does Brooke know?"

Haley shrugged, "I don't know. And I'm not going to be the one to tell her."

"I know what you mean. She'll be mad when she finds out."

"She'll be something. It's either that or a seriously uncheery Cheery. I so don't want a repeat of two months ago." Her mind drifted to how they'd found her in tears huddled on the edge of the bed.

It had taken almost two hours to find out what had happened, and a further two weeks to stop the tears. She'd only just found her way to becoming the old Brooke that they'd all missed.

And now Lucas' impending return seemed to threaten all that.

"Well, she's going to find out," Peyton reminded Haley. "It's not like we can prevent them from seeing one another, and Brooke is smart. She must know Lucas would be here for Karen's birthday."

"I don't want her falling to pieces when she sees him. Especially with all the effort she's put into planning Karen's party. I mean, I'd hate for it all to be ruined." Haley chewed her bottom lip.

"Well the minute I see him, I'm going to punch him." Peyton promised.

"Get in line," Haley told her friend, "Even Nathan's pissed at Lucas."

"Has Lucas even called?"

"Once or twice. He never mentioned anything about Brooke though."

"Ass." Peyton muttered.

"Hey girlies," Brooke sidled up to them and joined them as they continued to walk down the school corridor. "What's up?"

"Nothing. We're cool!" Peyton and Haley gave a barrage of answers. Brooke frowned.

"Okay, you're both acting weird." She sighed and stopped, "What's going on?" she asked.

Haley and Peyton exchanged a look and dragged her to a quiet corner.

"Okay, um… I don't know if you know this or not but… Lucas is home this weekend." Peyton told her friend.

They waited for an outburst.

"I know," Brooke said calmly.

"Excuse me?" Haley asked her to repeat it.

"I know. I invited him." Brooke said a little more slowly as f she were talking to two children. "Why what's wrong?"

"Nothing, we just assumed you wouldn't want to see him after…"

"That whole drama where I confessed how I felt about him and he tore my heart out and stomped on it before going off to Duke? Yeah, I'm over that." Brooke added a small chuckle.

Peyton and Haley looked at her skeptically. Her upbeat attitude about it was strange, and quite frankly, disconcerting.

"Are you feeling okay?" Haley held a hand to Brooke's forehead, which the brunette pushed aside.

"I'm fine. Honestly. I mean, since I was planning the party and the guest list and everything, I thought it'd be nice for Lucas to be invited. Of course, it's not like he knows the invitation is from me. It's not like I wrote a cheesy 'Brooke invites you…' on it."

"Hey!" Haley replied indignantly, "I wrote that on my birthday invitations!"

"Whatever," Brooke said, "Anyway, just because things between us are a little y'know, doesn't mean he can't be with his mom on her birthday."

"That's a very mature response."

"Of course, if I do see him, I might have to punch him but I'm planning on spending very little time in his company." Brooke smiled. "Speaking of the party, Peyton you need to change your music choices."

"Why?" Peyton asked.

"Cos I was looking through them and it's all depressing, whiny music. God, it's not a funeral!"

"What do you suggest?"

"I don't know. Karen was born in, like, the 60s so… Sixties music? Oooh! Let's have it a theme!" Brooke clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Brooke, the party is in two days. You can't change the whole theme especially after you've sent the invitations out." Haley reasoned.

"Please, all I have to do is stick up a few fliers around the café, make a few phone calls. The Swinging Sixties were all about fashion, some stuff with the Russians and sex. What is not to love?" Brooke grinned widely.

"Fine, fine. I'll start spreading the word." Haley said as she gave a small wave and began walking to Biology.

"You sure you're okay with Lucas?" Peyton asked again.

"I'm fine with spending a few hours with him, Peyton."

"And more than that?" she asked. Brooke shrugged, "Because you can always stay the night at mine if you want to avoid any awkward bathroom moments."

"Thank you, Peyton."

--------

Lucas pulled up to Nathan and Haley's apartment having decided that it'd be better to quickly stop off there first before going home and facing Brooke.

He was pleased to see that Nathan was home, and the two exchanged a brotherly hug.

"When did you get back?" Nathan asked offering Lucas a beer. Lucas took it and sat himself down at the breakfast bar.

"Just now. I thought I'd come and see you first. How are you?"

"I'm good. Haley's at Mom's café, she'll be meeting us at the party. How's Duke?"

"It's good. Classes are great, parties are even better." Lucas smiled.

"How are you and your roommate getting on?" Nathan asked.

"Matthew? Oh, yeah, we're great. He's on the ice hockey team so sometimes we work out together," Off Nathan's concerned look Lucas added, "He knows about my HCM so it's a light workout." Nathan nodded.

"So you heard Mom's party is now a Sixties theme, right?"

Lucas shook his head, "No… when was this decided?"

"Yesterday." Nathan replied, "Brooke changed it at the last minute," he took a sip of his beer as Lucas looked down at the table. "Come on, man. You knew the subject was going to come up sooner or later."

"Yeah, I was hoping it would have been later." Lucas let out a sigh and caught Nathan looking at him. "What?"

Nathan set his jaw, "You really hurt her, Lucas. Maybe even more than last time."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Are you going to tell her that? Because from what I hear, you haven't really been in touch since you left her crying her eyes out." Nathan slammed his beer bottle on the table. It caused Lucas to jump slightly. "Do you know how many tubs of ice cream Haley and Peyton bought?" Lucas smiled slightly. "It's not funny, Lucas."

"I was jus-"

Lucas attempted to wriggle his way out of it but Nathan was already incensed. "How could you just coldly tell her you felt nothing for her? She was willing to give you another chance and you just threw it back in her face!"

"Nate-"

"After all those months _you_ were begging her for another chance, and when it's right in front of you, you make an even bigger jackass of yourself by-"

"Nate, will you just be quiet for a second?" Lucas raised his voice to drown out his younger brother. "I know I made a mess of things."

Nathan snorted. "What was even going through your head?"

"I don't know." Lucas shrugged, "Before I left for Europe, we were friends. It was a little awkward sometimes, but I loved it. And then I come home and I was so ready to move on because I thought that it was what she wanted. Suddenly it is five minutes before I leave and she's kissing me and telling me that she wants to be with me. Brooke was telling me everything I've wanted to hear since we broke up and I couldn't believe it."

"So why did you tell her you didn't love her?" Nathan asked.

Lucas looked at Nathan, "Because part of me wanted to be with her, but the other part wanted to make her suffer like she made me suffer the past six months. I just wanted her to know how it felt to have someone walk out on you." He explained, "And I was angry that she chose the moment I was supposed to start a new life to tell me."

"I guess that was bad timing." Nathan agreed, "But punishing her? You don't think she suffered enough when you cheated on her?"

"I know it sounds stupid but… Duke was my chance to start over again. Forget about Dad and him trying to mold us into perfect sons; to forget about how many mistakes I made with Brooke by hurting her. If I was with Brooke – if I put myself out there like that again – and things between us got worse… I just don't think my heart could take much more. It's already broken."

Nathan was silent for a few moments before he patted his brother's shoulders.

"I'm not the one you should be telling that to."

--------

Brooke smoothed down her Jackie Kennedy-esque outfit and touched her hair lightly as she waited for a drink from the bar.

"Brooke?" Haley's voice asked from behind. "Gosh, you look fantastic!" Haley exclaimed. She was dressed as Marilyn Monroe – something that had taken a lot of persuading to do.

"Yeah," Peyton agreed in her own Janis Joplin outfit. "Although I wouldn't have thought you'd pick something so… conservative."

Brooke smiled, "Actually, Jackie Kennedy was the style icon of the 60s. See, I totally listen in History! And by the way, you two look hot."

"Well it's the best we could do in the… oh, twenty-four hours notice you gave us!" Peyton stuck out her tongue.

As Brooke bought their drinks, they turned to bump straight into Nathan… and Lucas.

"Holy awkward moment," Nathan said under his breath. He was dressed as one of the Beatles.

Peyton looked at Lucas' costume. "John F. Kennedy, huh?" she asked. Lucas nodded. "Pity I didn't come as Lee Harvey Oswald." She said snidely.

Sensing a very nasty confrontation, Nathan pulled both his wife and Peyton away.

"Lets all go dance, shall we. I think Lucas needs to talk to Brooke." Nathan said as he took the two girls who were staring daggers at Lucas.

Brooke put her hands on her hips, "JFK?" she questioned.

"Nathan told me who you were going as." He confessed, "I thought I'd take the opportunity."

"Lucas…" Brooke began.

"I'm sorry." He apologized straight away. "You need to know that. I know it's a late apology but you have to know that I hate what I did to you."

Brooke gulped. "Okay."

"So… are _we _okay?" he asked. Brooke shrugged.

"I don't know. Let's see, you totally crushed my heart, ran away like a little bitch and didn't call. No, I don't think we're okay."

She began to walk away but he caught her arm.

"Tell me what I can do to make it up to you."

"Why did you come here, Lucas? To make peace with me or be here for your mom's birthday?"

Lucas paused, wondering what the right answer was.

"My mom's birthday?" he hazarded. She smiled.

"Right answer." She replied, "Which means you're spending this weekend with your mom – and _not_ apologizing to me."

With that, she walked off in the opposite direction.

-------

Brooke avoided Lucas the rest of the weekend, leaving Lucas to return with things still left untied.

His nightmares continued for a week until…

"Hi," Brooke gave him a wave as he opened his dorm room.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Nice to see you too," Brooke frowned walking in. "Wow, it's kind of small." She commented.

"Um… Brooke?" Lucas repeated. "What are-"

"I got your letters," she said with a shrug. "The ones you sent?"

Matthew, who was sitting on his bed, stood up slowly and sheepishly raised his hand.

"Uh, yeah, that would have been me who sent them," he confessed. Lucas glared at him while Brooke and Matthew shook hands. "I was falling asleep in my lectures. I had to do _something_," he reasoned before making an excuse and leaving the pair.

"So you know?"

"Yeah, I do." Brooke nodded. "You could have just told me."

"With the way you brushed me off last weekend?" Lucas raised an eyebrow. "I did try."

"We need to do something about it," Brooke told him straight. "Because neither of us can live in this limbo we have going. We're never in the same place. We have to stop that."

"What do you suggest?" Lucas asked.

"We have sex." Lucas' eyes almost popped out.

"Uh… what?"

"We have sex. Like closure sex. The way we ended things was abrupt and I don't think we ever got the 'ending' we needed. This way, we can get it out of our systems and move on with our lives." Brooke said.

"And this will work because….?"

"Because it has to. There's no other way we can move on."

"We have sex and this whole problem goes away.?" Brooke nodded. "So, when are we going to do it?"

Brooke eyed up the bed and thought it was satisfying enough. "I'm only here for a couple of hours so…" she tossed her handbag to the side and took of her jacket. She pushed Lucas back onto the bed with one quick, hard push of the hand and straddled his waist.

He just stared at her and she sighed.

"Come on, Lucas, I can't do it by myself!" she snapped, urging him to begin taking off his clothing.

"Are you sure this will work?" Lucas asked again as Brooke helped him slip off his shirt.

"Well it better because I'm all out of ideas," Brooke told him as she kissed him.

"Wait!" Lucas pushed her off slightly and scrambled to his nightstand, opening a as-yet unopened packet of condoms. He picked one out and held it up.

"To closure." He toasted.

"To closure."

**To Be Continued…**


	42. Still Waters Run Deep

_Since I promised - and since this week's episode was SO GOOD - I'm updating. Apologies for another long wait. I had essays in my 'to-do' pile all that time and me being the procrastinator I am, put them both off until the last minute. Ah well! I have the whole Christmas break free! Just another few chapters after this, my lovelies. And obviously, a big thank you to Cari because without her 'Independent Women' update, I probably wouldn't have updated this. _

**Chapter Forty-Two: Still Waters Run Deep**

"So… I had a really good time tonight," Jennie smiled coyly at Lucas as she held his hands outside her dorm room.

"Yeah, me too," Lucas offered a tight smile.

"Do you maybe… want to come in?" Jennie looked up at him half-nervously and half-excitedly. Lucas opened his mouth to say something.

_Come on, you idiot. Nod your head and go inside. Have some coffee, get comfortable, and get laid. _

"Shoot, I forgot that I have a paper due in tomorrow. Rain check?" Lucas pulled away and pretended to look at his watch. Jennie, clearly crestfallen, simply nodded and pecked Lucas on the cheek before disappearing into her room.

Lucas walked briskly back to his own room and opened the door, to find Matthew typing up an essay on his laptop.

"You're home already?" he asked as Lucas appeared.

"Yeah. Jennie had to get up early so I left." Lucas lied. He knew Matt would probably knock him upside the head if he found out it was Lucas who'd made the excuse.

"But it's only seven in the evening," Matt told Lucas, "Who goes to bed at seven?"

Lucas looked at his clock and sighed. "Okay, fine, I ducked out of there early."

Matthew tore his attention away from his essay and looked at Lucas.

"What was wrong with this one?" he asked. "Jennie is a great girl, she seemed sweet and smart and-"

"That's exactly the problem!" Lucas cried, "We're at dinner and I was talking about 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and all of a sudden she's blabbering on about how it's the greatest American novel and comparing it to 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'."

"So what? She sounds exactly like you."

"Which is precisely my point. I don't want to date someone like me. I want to date someone who'd talk about what Britney Spears was wearing, or cry over some stupid lame movie that she dragged me to see. And I'd want her to ask about my favorite book, and when she says she's never heard of it, I'd want to watch her listen to me talk about it and then grin because she has no idea what I'm saying but was counting my forehead wrinkles instead." He grinned, "I want someone so wildly and completely different to me that she teaches me something new everyday. Be it who the hell Jimmy Choo is or which celebrity is jumping up and down Oprah's couch this week."

Matthew remained silent for a few moments, "Say…" he said finally, "This girl wouldn't happen to be like the one that popped by a few weeks ago, would it?" he asked.

"Who? Brooke?" Lucas asked. Matthew nodded.

"Yeah, I mean… I thought you were over her. I thought you two had your 'closure' and were ready to move on. Of course, if I'd known that all it would have taken for the nightmares to stop was a little action between the sheets – _I'd_ have more than willingly complied…" Lucas gave Matt a look, "But that's off the point. I still think you're a little hung up on her."

"I'm not hung up on Brooke. I'm just… bored of dating girls who aren't-"

"Brooke?"

"Interesting." Lucas said firmly.

"Dude, you are so seriously messed up. I met Brooke all of five seconds and I can see that all the other girls you've been out with since have all been way different to her – and you've taken none of them out on a second date."

"What's your point?"

"My point, dear roommate, is that maybe you should try going for someone _like_ Brooke – not entirely like her – but just someone who's like what you just described. Maybe then you can begin to develop feelings for someone other than her and _move on_."

"I am moving on!"

"Just follow my advice," Matt said, "I bet Brooke's moving on with a guy named… Rufus or something."

------

"Okay, so I have just met the greatest guy!" Brooke announced to Peyton and Haley as she sat herself down on Haley's couch.

"Oooh, what is he like?" Haley asked, her interest peaked.

"Totally smart! But not nerdy smart, like… _smart._ He's read all these books and he plays baseball and is kind of funny in the smart funny sense. And he has these adorable dimples and sometimes he squints…"

"What's his name?" Peyton asked. Brooke looked away and mumbled something incoherent. "Brooke…?"

"His name is Luke." She finally confessed. Peyton and Haley exchanged a look, Haley even put down her yogurt.

"Luke?" Peyton repeated, "As in Luca-"

Brooke held up a hand, "Okay, I know what you're going to say but he is so totally different to Lucas and it's not even close to being his name… it has different letters in it!"

"He even plays a sport." Haley said.

"Which is _baseball _and nowhere close to being basketball."

"Well add two letters to it and it _is_ basketball!" Peyton shook her head. "Brooke, this is crazy, it's you and Lucas again – except it's Lucas-lite."

"It is _not _crazy. So I'm dating someone who _might_ sound like Lucas and do stuff Lucas did – but he is so not Lucas." Brooke reiterated. "Come on, guys, I need your support. This is the first guy I've liked in months. Can you just please give him a chance?"

Peyton and Haley sighed, knowing they weren't really being fair on Brooke.

"Fine, fine. But I'm going to give you something to mull lover," Haley moved to the DVD cabinet and began rooting through it, finally stopping and pulling one out. She handed it to Brooke.

"Why have you given me this?" she asked looking at the copy of _Friends _in her hand.

"You want to see the episode _'The One with Russ'_. I think it's highly appropriate at this point!" Haley and Peyton descended into knowing giggles and Brooke raised her eyebrow at them both.

"Ha ha, very funny!" she said dryly, throwing the DVD back at Haley.

------

**Thanksgiving**

Lucas pulled along his suitcases with him as he entered the Scott household and simultaneously greeted by several people.

"Lucas! Finally!" Karen approached him with a brief hug and kiss. "We've been waiting for you to turn up."

"Aw, I missed you too-"

"I need you to go and get more yams!" Karen snapped.

"Now?"

"Yes, now. I have eight mouths to feed and not enough _yams_!" Karen's slightly panicky expression told Lucas that he'd better go and get the yams or they'll be eating _him_.

"I'm going, I'm going." Karen smiled and her eyes flicked to the suitcases.

"Why did you bring three suitcases?" she asked, "You're only here for a weekend."

Lucas blushed, "Yeah… most of it's my laundry." He offered a bright smile but Karen scowled.

"Get my yams – I'll do your laundry." She agreed.

"Deal." Lucas gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving the house less than thirty seconds after he'd come in.

At the local supermarket desperately hunting for yams on Thanksgiving, Lucas heard a familiar voice coming from an adjacent isle. Curious, he worked his way towards it and was met by a _very_ familiar brunette.

"Brooke?" he said, "Is that you?" Brooke saw Lucas and instantly broke into a smile, giving him a warm hug.

"Hey, you're back." She said, "What are you doing here?"

"My mom sent me out for yams. I didn't even think you knew where the supermarket was!" Lucas crossed his arms over his chest. She punched him lightly on the arm.

"As a matter of fact, your mother sent me out for some more cranberry sauce. And by the way, who doesn't have cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving? We've tried, like, three stores and none of them had any!" she complained.

"We?" Lucas asked. Brooke opened her mouth to answer as a tall, blonde guy sidled up to her from behind.

"I found some!" the mystery guy exclaimed as he proudly showed off the item to Brooke. His eyes flicked to Lucas and he frowned.

"Who's this?" they both asked together.

"Lucas, this is Luke. Luke, this is Lucas." She introduced quickly. They politely shook hands although Brooke could sense neither one of them wanted to. "Luke is my boyfriend." She explained.

Lucas just nodded his head, "Pleased to meet you," he said as nicely as he could.

"Likewise," Luke replied. "Um, Brooke… are we done? Do you want me to go pay for this?" he asked.

"Uh, actually, you can go on home. Lucas can give me a ride back." Brooke told him with an encouraging smile. Luke hesitated at first but gave in, giving his girlfriend a lingering kiss before he handed her the cranberry sauce and left - with a wary look in Lucas' direction.

Once he'd gone, Brooke looked up at Lucas.

"So?" she asked.

"Let's go find some yams," Lucas announced. Brooke sighed.

"Come on, Lucas. Aren't you going to say anything?" she wondered, "I know you probably have one or two things to ask me about Luke."

"He seems nice," Lucas replied in a tone that suggested to Brooke that he was just telling her what she wanted to hear so she'd get off the subject.

"We've been dating three weeks," she said, "He plays baseball, has a younger brother called Jason, and his favorite book is _The Great Gatsby_." She explained.

"Sounds like a keeper!"

"I thought you'd be pleased I'm moving on. That whole thing between us ended back that day at Duke. We're supposed to be done."

"That _thing_ between us is done, Brooke. I'm moving on too but you don't see me parading my girlfriends in front of you."

"I was not parading him."

"Well it seemed like it." Lucas huffed.

"Can we not argue?" Brooke asked, "Because it's Thanksgiving and the last thing I want to do is spend it angry at you."

"Fine, fine," Lucas raised his hands in defeat. "But I'm just going to ask you a question."

"What?"

"Is his hair always like that?" his scrunched his face up in disgust as Brooke gave him a look and walked off in search of yams.

-----

"Oh, um… I'm glad I caught you two," Karen said as she pulled Brooke and Lucas aside some time during the festivities. "I need to ask you a favor."

"Sure, Karen. Go ahead," Brooke said, hoping neither of them had to go out for more food.

"Since Royal and Mae are here for Thanksgiving, I put them in Lucas' room… would it be alright if you both slept in the same room?" she asked.

Lucas and Brooke exchanged a look.

"I know you have a long history but I forgot they were coming, especially with both Nathan and Haley joining us this year, and the guest room _still _isn't finished…"

"It is fine," Brooke piped up. "I mean, if it is fine with Lucas, it is fine with me."

"Are you sure?" Karen asked, "It won't be… awkward? Because otherwise I could make-"

"Awkward? Pfft! No! Awkward would be the total _opposite_ of what this will be." Brooke began to babble. "This will be fine. Won't it be fine?" she turned to Lucas who nodded uneasily.

Although the subject was not broached during the rest of the festivities, Lucas could tell Brooke was thinking about it. By evening, Brooke was nervously twitching her leg as she sat with Nathan and Haley on the couch. Although Lucas suspected that at least some of the nervousness was due to the glares Dan was shooting all four teenagers all evening.

"Just so you know," Lucas said as he walked into Brooke's room when it was time for bed, "I don't mind sleeping on the floor if you're uncomfortable with me being here."

Brooke sighed, "No, it's not like we haven't shared a bed before. Plus, Peyton slept on the floor the other night and hurt her back. The bed is just fine… y'know, if _you _want to sleep on it."

"Well… are you comfortable with sharing? I know you're a duvet hog." Lucas teased. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Just get into bed." She instructed as she picked up her pajamas. Lucas frowned. "What?" she asked.

"You wear pajamas?" he asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"You've never worn pajamas. You always wore a tank top and shorts."

"Well it's almost winter. I get cold." Brooke shrugged as she placed them on the bed and gathered her hair into a ponytail. Lucas picked the pajamas up.

"These have horses on them." Brooke snatched them away.

"They're not horses," she replied indignantly, "They're unicorns."

Lucas arched an eyebrow and undid his shirt, revealing a white wifebeater before climbing out of his jeans.

"I'm done." He announced. Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Again with the wifebeater/boxers ensemble?" she asked.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing… it's just… a little too Ryan Atwood." Lucas frowned.

"I'm not going to even begin to understand what you just said." Lucas climbed into the bed and laid his head on the pillow, slowly closing his eyes.

Brooke cleared her throat noisily and Lucas opened one eye warily.

"What?" he asked.

"You're on my side of the bed." Lucas looked around.

"I always take the right side. You like the left." He reminded her.

"I know and you're on the left!" she pointed at the bed.

"Brooke, my right is your left." She made a 'O' shape with her mouth and nodded.

"Sorry." She apologized. Her ears pricked to the sounds coming from the bathroom. "Crap! Someone else is taking a shower. I'll just have to wait until morning."

Lucas mumbled something as he tried to get some sleep.

"Are you asleep?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes." He replied.

"Good because I'm changing into my unicorn pajamas and I don't want you peeking." She told him firmly.

"Whatever." He said, "I've seen you naked before anyway." He smirked. Brooke threw her jacket at him and he groaned. "Tired teenager trying to sleep here!" he complained.

She turned her back to him as she whipped off her blouse, throwing it carelessly beside her and slipping on her pajama top as quickly as she could. Although she knew Lucas had seen her naked and she was usually comfortable in her skin, the thought of him seeing her in that state made her blush. She couldn't help but feel his eyes on her.

She silently cursed whoever was occupying the bathroom as she sat on the edge of the bed and changed into her pajama bottoms. Brooke made sure she was done blushing before turning back to face Lucas.

She swore she saw him quickly clamp his eyes shut when she did.

"I'm done." She announced as she piled her day clothes on one side.

"Oh really? That was quick." Lucas said pretending not to care. She shook her head lightly as she got into bed next to him and turned out the light.

They lay silently next to one another in the dark; only the dim moonlight streaming in from the windows.

"It's strange," Lucas began, "being here again." Brooke turned her head to look at him, barely making out the rough outlines of his face.

"Home?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head and faced her, "I mean… _here_. In your room again."

She turned away and looked up at the ceiling. "Oh."

"I'm sorry," Lucas apologized, "I didn't mean to bring 'us' up again."

"It's okay," she said earnestly, "It's kind of strange to have you here again. Except in that moment… before you started speaking, that is… it almost felt normal. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He replied quietly.

Sensing a possible awkward moment, Brooke cleared her throat. "Goodnight Lucas."

"Goodnight Brooke."

------

**Christmas**

Lucas walked into the Scott household armed with presents, knowing full well that if he didn't make his gift-bearing clear, he probably wouldn't get any attention from the women that occupied the home.

"I'm here!" he announced. "I know I'm late but…" he stopped in mid-sentence as Brooke and Luke pushed themselves off of one another and sat up on the couch. Brooke flushed with embarrassment at having her ex-boyfriend walk in on her and her new one.

"Lucas!" she stood up and smoothed down her clothing. "I thought you were coming down tomorrow."

"I thought I'd surprise you," he looked at Luke in the eye, "And I guess I did."

"Okay," Brooke moved in between both of the guys, "I think we should all take a deep breath and relax. Uh… Luke?"

"Yeah?" both boys looked at her expectantly.

"I meant Luke," she pointed over at her boyfriend, "I think it's best if you went home."

Lucas struggled not to say a word as Luke kissed Brooke briefly and left the house.

"Lucas-" Brooke began.

"I'm not saying anything." He held up his hands innocently though inside he was seething. "What you and… your boyfriend get up to in your own time is no business of mine."

"Thank you." Brooke told him.

"Although…" she glared at him and he shrugged. "Again, not saying anything. I just didn't expect to see you both still together, Where's mom?" he asked changing the subject quickly.

"Out. Why are you early?" Brooke tidied the disarrayed pillows on the couch.

"I got bored at Duke. Everyone else left a few days ago and it seemed stupid to be there alone." He explained. He looked at the Christmas tree glowing in the corner of the room. "The tree looks impressive." He complimented.

"Thanks. Luke helped me."

"Doesn't Luke have his own tree to decorate?" Lucas muttered.

"Lucas, he can decorate my tree any time he likes," Brooke said before pausing and realizing what it sounded like, "Ew. Not like that."

"Oh… so you haven't-"

"None of your business, Lucas!" Brooke warned.

"Is that a 'yes'?" Lucas asked.

"I'm telling you that."

"Quick question… if you are, and you're in bed. When you scream out 'Lu-'" Brooke's eyes widened and she clamped her hands over her ears.

"Oh my god, why are you still talking!" she huffed as she hit him with a pillow.

------

"And this is for you," Lucas handed Brooke a medium sized gift which she opened with more enthusiasm than he'd seen before.

"This is that bag I saw ages ago," Brooke gasped as she admired the handbag Lucas had given her. "The one that I said matched those boots!"

He nodded, "Which is why I also got you this." He handed her another box.

Brooke's squeal of delight made several of the others jump with shock as she pulled out the pair of boots and pulled them on.

"Oh, Lucas, I love them!" she hugged him tightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek before returning to her new boots.

He chuckled as she happily sang a little 'boots' song to herself.

"How did you know what size to get?" she asked after a little while.

"Catherine is the same shoe size as you so it wasn't hard." Lucas told her.

"Who's Catherine?" she asked, figuring it was some girl from his classes or near his dorm.

He hesitated at first, "She's um… she's my girlfriend." Brooke looked at him in shock before realizing she hadn't said anything for a good minute.

"Oh! I… I had no idea. How long-"

"A few weeks. Three or four." Brooke nodded. "She's nice. You'd like her." Brooke forced a smile.

"I'm sure I would," she said a little snidely. "Why didn't you bring Catherine with you?" she asked.

"She went back to her parents' house in Ohio." He explained, "But we're spending New Years together."

"You're not staying for New Years?" Brooke frowned, "But we had a big party planned."

"She invited me to spend it with her family." Lucas scratched his head.

"Well I hope you have fun." Brooke said getting up from the floor. "I'm going to get a drink." She walked towards the kitchen and Lucas groaned as she got up and followed her.

"I thought we were supposed to be happy for each other." He said leaning against the door frame.

"I am happy for you and _Catherine_. I mean, I have Luke. I'm just pissed that you're not staying for New Years."

"It was a last minute decision."

"You've known her for three weeks."

"No, I've _dated_ her for _four_ weeks. That's almost as long as you and Luke." He defended.

"I suppose." Brooke grumbled. "I guess I just thought that since none of us have seen you since Thanksgiving, you'd stay longer than a week."

"I'll be back after for a few days. And then I'll visit a few weekends."

"It's not the same, Lucas. We all miss having you around. It's different without you here."

"I call."

"Yeah but that's only ten minute conversations every other day. Duke is two hours away. Your mom is having a tough time with Dan and Nathan and Haley hardly talk to you."

"I IM them all the time!" Lucas cried, "What do you suggest, Brooke? That I just quit Duke and move back here? After all the crap I went through trying to get there, I'm not going to give it all up because some people miss me. It's life, Brooke. It moves, it changes."

"And you don't think I know that? I practically uprooted from New York to be here with a new family and new people. I just thought you'd want to spend time with us before-" Brooke cut herself off.

"Before?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Nothing. Never mind. I'm going to lie down for a while." She excused herself as sheescaped into her bedroom.

Lucas slinked back to the living room where Karen had heard the whole exchange. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"What's going on with her?" he asked his mother. Karen gave him a sad sigh.

"You have no idea."

Brooke stared up at the ceiling and let out a huge sigh. Realizing that she'd probably over-reacted and come across as a jealous, ex-girlfriend, she made a mental note to apologize to Lucas later. Her hand reached across to the newspaper by her bedside and she looked at the pages once again.

Scanning the classifieds carefully, she took out a red pen and circled a particular advertisement that had caught her eye. With the same red pen, she looked at her calendar and counted the days until her eighteenth birthday.

45 days left.

**To Be Continued…**


	43. But We Danced Anyway

_Well, sorry it took so long. This was a hard chapter to get down. I hope everybody had a fantastic Christmas (or Hannukah or a great day) and wishing you all a Happy New Year. See you in 2006!_

**Chapter Forty-Three: But We Danced Anyway**

Boxes, boxes and more boxes.

That was what Brooke's room was littered with on the Thursday morning in February.

Peyton Sawyer's eyebrows arched up as she surveyed the scene in front of her that afternoon.

"So this is where you've been all day," Peyton said inviting herself into Brooke's room. "We started to get worried."

Brooke just gave Peyton an exhausted look. "I'm taking the day off from school."

"But it's your birthday, Brooke. You should be out celebrating not packing!" Peyton edged closer to her best friend, "Why don't you give it up for now, and tomorrow the whole gang will help you move; Jake, Nathan, Haley, everybody."

"I can't, Peyton. Tomorrow will be too late." Brooke replied as she picked up an empty box and began piling in CDs and videos.

Peyton crouched down besides her, "Look, you're only moving to my house. It's literally ten minutes away. We'll be done in no time. Just enjoy today. Don't spend your birthday like this."

"Why not? On my sixteenth birthday my mom told me that my dad was going to jail and we lost all our money. Last year I found out that my boyfriend cheated on me and all my friends lied about it," Peyton looked away sheepishly, "Why shouldn't my eighteenth birthday be spent being thrown out of a house?" She stood up moving the box to another area of the room, "Maybe if I'm real lucky, I'll get an aneurysm for my nineteenth!" she added with mock enthusiasm.

"Oooh, you're not in a good mood." Peyton surmised.

"What was your first clue?"

"Look, Brooke, don't do this alone. Don't do it today. Take a break. You've been at this since-"

"Three o'clock this morning," Brooke replied not bothering to look up from her next box she was packing. "And still I haven't finished getting rid of all this junk!" she exclaimed finally throwing her hands in the air. "This sucks, I'm never going to get it done. I came to Tree Hill with four suitcases and six boxes. How have I now managed to get eight suitcases and fourteen boxes?"

Peyton caught her hands and helped Brooke calm herself down, "Okay, let's not go giving yourself an aneurysm early. Take a deep breath and get your coat. We're going out."

"I can't, Peyton. You know that." Brooke sighed, "I have to be out of here before Dan-"

"Forget that jerk. It's your birthday and you're _not_ spending it like this. I won't allow it." Peyton gave a small smile. "Come on." She pulled a reluctant Brooke out of the door and forced her to sit quietly in the car until they pulled up to a gym.

"Oh goodie! For my birthday you're making me work-out! Woo!" Brooke waved her hands lazily in the air. Peyton chuckled.

"Okay, I'm going to ignore that because I honestly believe you'll _love_ what I have in store for you."

------

Three hours later, Brooke walked briskly out of the gym freshly showered and rejuvenated. She cast a look behind her at the exhausted blonde limping after her. Brooke chuckled.

"Was it _that_ bad?" Brooke asked. "You're Peyton Sawyer. You're supposed to be all 'grrr' and mean and manly-" Peyton shot her a look. "What I mean is who would have thought that I rule at kickboxing and you suck at it?"

"You know, most people would say: 'Thank you, Peyton, for taking me to a kickboxing class for my birthday. Sorry that you're all battered and bruised though.'" Peyton said sarcastically. "My body hurts in places I didn't even know where there." She winced.

Brooke gave her a mock-pout and propped her up as they walked slowly back to Peyton's car.

"Thank you," Brooke said sincerely.

"No problem. Listen, I'm going to head over to the spa and try out their hot tub. Care for another birthday treat?" Peyton offered.

"I would, Peyton," Brooke checked her watch, "But that kickboxing class cut off another couple of hours and I still need to pack half of my room up." She sighed heavily, "And I've got to do it."

Peyton nodded as she checked her watch, "Okay, okay. We'll go back. You'll have to drive though because I think I've lost all feeling in my feet."

Brooke drove Peyton's old convertible all the way back to the Scott mansion, dreading facing the huge task in front of her.

However when she entered her room, she found piles of neatly organized boxes that housed all of her belongings and a very proud – but exhausted – Nathan, Haley and Jake.

"What did you guys do?" she asked as she looked around.

"We packed!" Haley told her with a grin as she went to hug her best friend, "Happy birthday, Brooke."

"We also already moved half of your stuff to Peyton's so there's only this lot left." Jake explained, "None of us were ready to let you spend your birthday doing this."

"That is so amazing. I love all of you!" she gathered them in for a big group hug. "But you didn't have to do it."

"Well we kind of did," Nathan buried his hands in his pockets, "You see, we didn't want you working through the night since you're now eighteen and we need to celebrate that fact." He pulled out a blindfold from one of his pockets. "Turn around and close your eyes." He instructed.

Brooke did as she was told, "Okay, but if you wanted to kidnap me Nate, you shouldn't do it in front of your wife." She giggled before groaning at the light punch Haley gave her and Nathan tied the blindfold tightly across her eyes. He waved his hand in front of her face, "Can you see anything?"

"Nope."

"Good. Follow us." Nathan took one of her hands and slowly began leading her out of the house, guiding her gently down the stairs and making sure she was safely in the car.

"I have a question," Brooke piped up from the back as Haley held onto Brooke's hand as reassurance. "How long will I have to wear this blindfold?"

"Just a few more minutes," Haley promised as she looked outside the window to see how far away they were from their destination. True to her word, within ten minutes the car came to an eventual stop and they helped the birthday girl out of the car and into another building.

Brooke could hear the sound of her heels hit the hard floor and echo off the walls, her curiosity peaked at where her friends had bought her. Fortunately the blindfold was untied and Brooke looked at the mystery room she was in.

"Ta-da!" Haley sang in glee as she awaited Brooke's reaction.

"This is Tric…" Brooke began as her eyes moved across the sparkling decorations with _'Happy Birthday Brooke!'_ printed across them. The DJ stand had been set up in a corner and Mouth was already there practicing. He gave her a friendly wave. A few tables had been set up around the dance-floor and on one table was a huge chocolate cake with nineteen candles ready to be lit. "What is this?" she asked.

"It's our gift to you," Karen spoke up as she approached Brooke. "Haley, Nathan, Peyton and Jake wanted to throw you a party and I made all the arrangements. We all figured that you deserve something spectacular for your eighteenth birthday and here it is!" Karen threw her arms over Brooke to give her a hug.

"You didn't have to do this…" Brooke said earnestly, "You've already done so much and-"

"Stop right there, Brooke," Karen cut her off and handed her a box with a pretty bow on the top, "Just open this and enjoy your night. It's all for you."

Inside the box was a gorgeous evening dress that Brooke knew was expensive. She gasped in both admiration and surprise.

"We decided to make it a little classy and have a formal party. There's a dressing room at the back of the club with make-up and everything you need to make you look a million-dollars. You go get ready and we'll take care of everything." Karen promised. "The party starts in an hour, so you'd better hurry up."

Before Brooke would say anymore, Haley and Peyton whisked her to the back of the club and into the small dressing room, eagerly waiting for Brooke to try on the dress and do her hair and make-up.

As Brooke sat in front of the mirror in her dress while Haley did her hair and Peyton put on her own dress, she grinned widely; this being the first birthday in years where she wasn't ending the night in tears.

Of course, the night was still young.

-------

Less than an hour and a half later, the party was more or less in full swing and Brooke was receiving compliments and well-wished left, right and center. It was almost difficult to have a moment alone. But, nevertheless, she was having the time of her life.

One face, however, was missing and she wasn't sure why she felt so disappointed at not seeing it. After all, it was a year ago exactly that he'd broken her heart, crushed it and sent her on a lonely downward spiral she'd probably still be in if Nathan hadn't valiantly rescued her and slapped some sense into her.

Which reminded her that she needed to buy Nathan a gift or something.

"Brooke!" Karen's voice demanded Brooke's attention and the two hugged, "Are you having fun?"

Brooke nodded, "Yeah, it's amazing. Thank you, Karen."

"Oh, it was nothing," she waved a hand haphazardly to dismiss it, "I just hope that everything goes to plan." She mused aloud.

"What plan?" Brooke asked.

"Uh, nothing, nothing." Karen cursed herself for the mistake.

"While you're here, I just want to thank you."

"You did five seconds ago," the older woman laughed.

"No, I meant for _everything_. Taking me into your home, and feeding me, and looking after me, and being more of a mother to me than my own ever was," Brooke took a deep breath. "You've been amazing."

"Don't worry about it, Brooke. You don't need to thank me. I'm just sorry it's not been the best of years." Karen apologized, "And you do know that you don't have to move out. I don't want you to think that you were in anyway _forced_ out of the house. I love you being there. You know, I could talk to Dan and make him—"

"It's okay, Karen, you don't have to do that. I think it was time for me to leave anyway. Plus, staying with Peyton is only temporary until I find an apartment or something. Besides, after graduation I am planning on leaving Tree Hill anyway."

Karen looked a little shocked at the revelation, "Oh…, well, of course, it seems silly to think that you'd stay in Tree Hill after graduation. I mean, what with you off to college."

Brooke nodded.

"But you'll come back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, right?" Karen asked. "Because we'd all love you there. You're a part of this family." Karen held both of Brooke's hands to emphasize the point.

"Of course." Brooke gave her a confident smile to reassure her followed by a grateful hug.

Karen seemed satisfied, "That's a relief to know," she smiled back, "Well, I'll let you get back to your party." Karen moved off in the other direction. As she left, Brooke let out a deep sigh.

She was definitely going to miss Karen – or, at the very least, her cooking.

Before she could continue thinking about all the succulent and delicious homemade food Karen had cooked over the past year and a half, there was a tap on her shoulder and the smell of _very_ familiar cologne.

It couldn't be.

She turned and looked up at a tall, sandy-blonde haired man.

"Luke…"

He grinned, "Hey, Brooke." He handed her a sparkling, gift-wrapped gift with a white bow on the top. "Happy birthday."

She could tell that Lucas Scott was uncomfortable wearing the tux he'd been forced to wear, but he kept smiling down at her.

She took the gift, "Thank you, Lucas."

Empty-handed, he opened his arms wide, "Don't I get a hug?" he questioned. She chuckled and gave him a hug.

"I didn't think you were—"

"Invited? Coming?" he finished, "Well, when I got the invitation three weeks ago, I made sure I cleared my schedule. I wasn't going to let you down."

Brooke couldn't help but smile widely. "Thank you."

"Are you having a good night?" he asked. Brooke nodded.

"Yeah, everything's perfect."

Lucas looked around the club, "Where's Luke?" he asked, trying to remain cool and unfazed at enquiring about her boyfriend.

"Oh, he's around here somewhere." Brooke looked around before seeing the smug look on Lucas' face. "What?"

"It's just that he's not much of a boyfriend if he just ignores his girlfriend on her birthday." Lucas told her.

"Well, not that it is any of your business – as usual – but Luke and I broke up about three weeks ago."

"Oh," Lucas buried his hands in his pockets sheepishly. "I didn't know. Are you okay?"

Brooke nodded, "Oh yeah. We both realized it wasn't working out so it was a pretty easy decision to make. We're still friends and hang out sometimes but nothing romantic going on anymore." She cleared her throat, "How is dear old Cathy?" she asked.

Lucas gulped hard and nervously scratched the back of his head. "Ah, well… it seems that she didn't exactly take our relationship as seriously as I thought. We broke up a few days ago after I found out she cheated on me."

"I'm sorry." Brooke said.

"So am I." Lucas agreed, "But I guess karma, right? I get to know what it feels to be cheated on." Brooke inhaled sharply.

"I guess," she said quietly, looking at the floor.

"I didn't mean to remind you of…"

"Forget it," Brooke flashed him a big smile.

"No, Brooke. I just want to say that I'm real—"

"Not now, Lucas," she pleaded, "Save your apologies until later."

Lucas nodded and looked up as Mouth began playing a new song, "So, have you danced yet?"

She shook her head, "No, I've been mingling since nobody's asked me," she admitted.

Lucas feigned shock, "Really? Well we'll have to fix that." He offered his arm, "Plus, the birthday girl should have an escort to spin her around the dance floor – even if it means sacrificing his own dignity." He said. She laughed.

"No, offense Lucas, but I've seen you on the dance floor and it's not pretty. But since you asked…" She took his arm and dragged him out to the dance floor, depositing his gift to her on a nearby table. "Let's dance."

--------

Brooke and Lucas ended up being joined to the hip for most of the party. They danced for most of the night, even trading partners for a while with Nathan, Haley, Jake and Peyton. Karen took out the video recorder to film some of the party but was quickly roped into dancing with her two sons… and Tim.

Tim had also been invited, surprising Brooke with a cute teddy bear dressed as a doctor before proceeding to grope her. Thankfully, Lucas was on hand to rescue her and sent Tim after some of the other cheerleaders.

Before she knew it, it was time to cut her cake, which she couldn't wait to do so seeing as it looked too delicious for words. Holding the knife, Brooke greedily lunged for it, only to be held back by Lucas.

"We have to sing 'happy birthday' first," he reminded her.

"Let's pretend everyone already did and we can have cake." Brooke said, "I don't even like the whole deal with the singing. Unless, of course, it is Justin Timberlake then he can sing to me all he wants," Brooke giggled dreamily.

"Okay, I've changed my mind – cut the damn cake," Lucas told her just as Karen and Haley began everybody off into singing 'happy birthday' to her, with some mixed up verses including fat monkeys and zoos. Once they'd finished, Brooke blew out all her candles and eagerly began cutting the cake –although she wasn't much impressed with Nathan taking the first slice and scoffing it down in two bites. He grinned at her as he licked some of the chocolate spread over his face.

Once satisfied after finishing off her slice and a half, she sat back in her seat with a grin on her face.

"Happy now?" Lucas asked, polishing off his own dessert. She nodded. "In the case, um… can we go somewhere a little private?" he suggested. Brooke gave another nod as she stood up and the two walked towards the small balcony outside the club.

Brooke was amazed at how dark it was outside, "Wow, is it this dark already?" she asked, although Lucas suspected that she was just trying to make small talk to get past the awkwardness of the situation.

"Okay, I think neither of us particularly wants to be here and talk about this so I'll make it quick. I'm really, really, _really_ sorry for making the past year horrible for you."

"You've already apologized, like, eight times. I'm getting pretty sick of it," Brooke didn't even look at him.

"I know, I know—it's just that I… after what Catherine did to me, I realized that something like that hurts; and even more so when the relationship meant something." Lucas took a deep breath, "After being cheated on it just made the whole situation clearer and I'm just really sorry." When Brooke have no response, Lucas cleared his throat, "Uh… did you hear what I just said?"

She nodded and turned to him, "Lucas, I know you're sorry, okay? I totally get that but I don't see why you're bringing it all up again when I forgave you months ago!" Lucas stared at her.

"What?" he asked, "Say that again."

She sighed, "I forgive you."

"I thought—"

"I know, you did. Truth is, I figured being mad at you and holding it against you would get in the way of our friendship so I forgave you. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy and it still hurts like hell, but I'd much rather keep a friend than a grudge." She offered him a small smile. "So… I forgive you."

Lucas broke out into a relieved grin, "You have no idea how great that is to hear." He said.

"Yeah, well… let's just start this year all over again. Last year was just torture and I'm really hoping to make this one a lot better – for everyone."

"It's a deal." He held out his hand to her and she giggled, extending her own and shaking it.

With their hands still held firmly together, Lucas leant in and kiss her tenderly on the cheek, taking time to whisper, "Happy birthday, Brooke," before flashing her a big smile.

Brooke returned it; a huge weight seemed to have lifted from their shoulders.

This was definitely going to be a good year.

**To Be Continued…**


	44. I Fall As Hard As I Try

**Chapter Forty-Four: I Fall As Hard As I Try**

Brooke groaned as some salad dressing flicked onto her English notes. Roughly wiping it off with a paper napkin, she prayed that it wouldn't leave a mark.

'_Haley will kill me'_ she thought to herself as she looked at the result. Fortunately there was only a small stain over a couple of non-important words like 'the' and 'personification'. She hoped that Haley wouldn't be too mad at her. She was well aware of how anal the married teen was about her notes… and her filing system.

Brooke looked at her huge ringbinder folder sitting next to her with random pieces of papers stuffed inside and poking out. She cringed and decided she'd better hide it before Haley showed up and gave her yet another organization lecture.

After she put the folder onto the spare seat beside her, she wondered what was taking Haley so long. They had arranged to meet up twenty minutes ago so Haley could help Brooke with her English essay, but as of yet, the girl still hadn't showed up.

'_And she thinks I'm unorganized'_ she huffed as she checked her teeth in the skewed reflection of a spoon. In mid-reflection-checking, she spied a good-looking guy on the opposite end of the food court checking her out. She flashed him a flirty smile and he stood up with the presumed intention of going over to Brooke.

She quickly began to panic as she realized that the food she'd been eating had contained onions. She cursed under her breath as she began rooting through her bag for some gum. Brooke eventually found a stray stick of spearmint at the bottom of her bag, and though she had suspected had been there for some time, she unwrapped it and stuck it in her mouth, chewing as furiously as she could.

Eventually a figure stood in front of her and she prepared her best smile as she whipped her head around to see…

"Sarah." Brooke didn't hide her surprise nor her disgust as her jaw tightened the moment she said the girl's name. Her eyes floated from the blonde's tussled hair down to the swelling belly barely covered by the t-shirt she was wearing.

Sarah noted where Brooke's gaze was fixed and the horrified expression on her face, "Don't worry. The father's not who you think it is." She told her.

Brooke seemed relieved momentarily but she replied with a cool, "Oh," before looking away and pretending to be interested in her work. Sarah took a deep breath.

"Listen… do you mind if I sit down?" she asked. Brooke looked up at the hussy who'd started this whole mess to begin with and sighed.

"I'm expecting a friend." Her reply was curt.

"I won't take long and it's important," Sarah explained. "Plus, my current situation kind of hurts my ankles." She offered a tight smile. Brooke glanced around for any sign of Haley and decided that it would be okay – as long as Sarah was quick. Plus, who was she to deprive a pregnant woman of a chance to rest her swollen ankles?

She kicked out the chair opposite her as a welcome for Sarah to sit down, but made sure her expression remained emotionless.

"How far along are you?" Brooke asked crossing her arms over her chest. The curiosity was killing her – along with another burning question.

"Six and a half months." Sarah replied caressing her protruding stomach. It had taken her a while to embrace and come to terms with her impending motherhood and forced to young woman to grow up fast. "And don't worry, you don't know the father."

"Do _you_ know the father?" Brooke's reply was admittedly scathing but she was sure she deserved it. Sarah rolled her eyes slightly.

"I was expecting that, Brooke."

"Don't say my name."

Sarah bit her tongue and gave a gracious nod, respecting the brunette's wishes. "Anyway," Sarah began again, "I know the father and he was "The father was fully supportive of it for all of five minutes before he freaked and ran away denying all responsibility and blaming some other guy I may have slept with. And, y'know, he had a point because I'm not exactly the most faithful of people and my reputation does precede me. People look at me and I know they're thinking I got exactly what I deserved. Poor Sarah Ford, got knocked up by some random guy. But it wasn't like that. I fell in love for the first time but because of karma or whatever, I ended up losing it because I hurt people. Which is why I came to see you. I know you're one of the people I hurt."

"You didn't hurt me. Lucas did by cheating to me and lying about it. Although you're not exactly far from the blame either." Brooke spat back.

"Most guys – you can tell when they're in love and when they're not. Those who aren't – which is most of them – spend most of their time checking other girls out and making comments about them while they think their girlfriend isn't looking. And those are the guys that won't even think twice before sticking their tongue down your throat. Even the ones who claim that they're _so_ in love just assume it's okay and that they'll get away with it somehow. High school is filled with lust and sex and desire. It's filled with just about anything _but _love. I mean you see it in the halls everyday. The cheerleaders who are head-over-heels and crushing on whatever guy is hot this week. The 'lovebirds' who hold hands in public but barely glance at one another when they're alone. The girls sobbing in the bathroom because their ex is now dating a prettier girl. None of that is love. That's just… high school. I know what love is. I felt it and I lost it. Before I thought you grew into love or something. That is was something you couldn't even comprehend until you've spent your teen years _pretending_ you have."

"Not to interrupt the insightful and epiphanic speech you have going on there – but where are you going with this?" Brooke had begun to get impatient.

"Your boyfriend… Lucas? He loved you. I thought he was just hung up on you and that maybe after he had a few drinks in him, he wouldn't even remember your name. But he did. Throughout those forty minutes where I was shamelessly throwing myself at him he was just talking about you. It kind of made me jealous because here was this guy who wasn't really giving me a second glance and was obsessed by this girl – by you."

"Look, I know this story." Brooke began, holding up a hand to show that she wasn't really interested in relieving the whole ordeal.

"No you don't. That night… nothing happened." Brooke stared at her. "I _made_ him go into that room. I made him sit on that bed and I'm the one who took off the clothes. He was so drunk he could barely sit up – let alone _get _anything up." The brunette looked away, unsure of what to think. "And he kept calling of for you; his Brooke. We were there for, like, ten minutes before your friends came and took him."

"So why did you lie?" Brooke asked.

"I was embarrassed that he didn't want me. Plus, I thought that I'd get my kicks by watching a relationship fall apart. It was wrong of me, I know. The thing is, by the time I realized how stupid I had been, it had kind of blown up. By then you knew, the whole school knew, and you'd already broken up. Although no-one besides you and your friends knew it had been me. Thanks for that."

"It wasn't for you." Brooke snapped.

"I know— but thanks. If it's any consolation, I still feel horribly guilty for going along with it. I guess I just hoped that it was just an obsessed guy but from the way you looked at me that day you confronted me and how your friends tried their best to protect you, and from those weeks where all I heard in school was about the two of you… I gathered that it just might have been something more."

Sarah hoped that Brooke would say something to her. Instead, the brunette inhaled sharply and never made eye-contact, deciding instead to nervously tear up a paper napkin. Drumming her fingers lightly on the table, Sarah thought that it would be best for her to leave. The chair scraped backwards as she stood up, a hand gently supporting her unborn child.

"That's all I wanted to say," she told Brooke, "Thank you for hearing me out." She waited a moment to see if Brooke would say something to her about it but when she didn't, Sarah simply turned and began to walk away.

Brooke's eyes slowly went from looking down at the table at her hands busily destroying a napkin to the other woman leaving the food court and disappearing around the corner. Growing bored of the napkin; she pushed the tattered remains across the table and leant back in her seat. She closed her eyes briefly to try and think of what she should do next.

Then, gathering her belongings as quickly as she could she weaved her way through the scattered tables and chairs of the foot court and tried to find the nearest bathroom.

As she did, she tried to make sense of Sarah's revelation but her mind was set in a tailspin of various thoughts and memories of the past year.

The pain. The heartbreak. The humiliation.

The fights, the tears, and the many sleepless nights she lay in her bed wishing that it had all been a bad dream.

Awkward moments, stolen glances, and the occasional brushes of skin that never failed to send shivers down her body.

Unanswered letters, boxes full of memories, and promises of friendship.

Sitting alone by his hospital bedside, her rejected confession, and the night at Duke.

The new boyfriends and girlfriends, Christmas and Thanksgiving.

They all began to blur together as she swung the door of the bathroom open, dropped her bags and knelt in front of a toilet emptying the contents of her stomach.

She waited a few moments to catch her breath and stop the shaking. Finally building enough strength to reach up to pull the handle down and to pick herself up from the floor.

Brooke moved gingerly out of the cubicle and towards the sink, her knees feeling a little weak. She slashed ice cold water over her face, wiping the droplets off with a rough paper towel and smudging parts of her make-up in the process.

She looked at the distressed figure in the reflection in the mirror.

One more image flashed in her mind.

The way he'd smiled down at her that evening on the balcony of Tric and wished her a happy birthday after she'd forgiven him.

"Hey, are you okay?" a teenage girl, a few years younger than her, asked. She had been in the cubicle besides Brooke and had heard the sounds of vomiting.

Brooke tried her best to form a coherent answer.

Instead, she burst into tears.

-------

Haley did another scout around the food court, and frowning when she couldn't find her friend anywhere near their agreed upon meeting point. She knew she was almost thirty minutes late but Nathan had taken the car and the bus had been late.

She stood on tip-toes to see f she could spot Brooke above the heads of the other shoppers wandering around but it was no use. She was at least a foot shorter than most people there.

Deciding she'd check out Brooke's favorite store, she turned in the opposite direction and headed towards Suburban Filth, walking alongside a group of freshman girls busily discussing gossip.

"Excuse me!" Haley remarked bitterly as one bumped into her. She merely flicked her hair and mumbled an apology. Haley rolled her eyes as they entered the same clothing store. She'd just keep out of their way.

"I can't believe you, Veronica," one of the girls said to her friend, "You actually stayed with that girl?"

"Well, yeah," Veronica tucked looked through a bunch of clothes, "I felt kind of bad for her. She was all upset."

"Did she tell you why?" another friend asked. Veronica shrugged.

"No. She was too upset to talk. I just handed her tissues and let her borrow my make-up. But she was puking before, so I guess she might be pregnant."

"Or anorexic."

"No, you idiot. Anorexia is where you starve yourself. Bulimia is the puking one."

"Well, whatever. I feel sorry for her. She's a senior at THHS."

"Oh yeah. One of the cheerleaders right?" Haley's ears pricked up at the mention of 'senior' and 'cheerleaders'.

"Explains the bulimia."

"And if she's pregnant, she's pretty much screwed."

"Hey! Is that the one who had that big break-up with that Scott brother?" one of them asked.

"I don't know. Which Scott? The tall, dark-haired one is pretty hot." Haley growled under her breath.

"I think it's definitely the one who dated the other brother. She's like head-cheerleader. Hey, Veronica! Maybe she'll remember you and put you on the squad! Y'know since you helped her and all?"

Veronica couldn't answer because Haley had made her way to the group.

"Hey," she said, suddenly blushing when all five of them looked at her at once. "Um… I didn't mean to listen in, but you were talking about a girl crying the bathrooms? A little taller than us, dark brown hair… pouty lips?"

"Yeah…" Veronica nodded, "What's it to you?"

"Do you know where she is now?" Haley asked.

"I think she's still in the bathroom." Veronica pointed towards the ones located near the food court. "She looked pretty upset."

"Okay, thank you." She said as she began leaving the group. She turned and walked backwards as she addressed the girls one last time, "Oh, and the tall, dark-haired, hot Scott brother is _married_!" she held up her left hand and quickly jogged out of the store.

-------

Alone in the bathroom, Brooke gulped as she looked back at her reflection which had now almost flawless make-up on.

The girl in the reflection, however, still looked unhappy and confused.

Haley burst into the bathroom and looked at the scene in front of her. "Thank god, you're here. I was looking for you at the food court. Some girl told me you were in here." Haley explained edging closer to her friend. She noted the books and Brooke's bag in the corner of the restroom. "Are you okay?"

Brooke shrugged, half-grateful Haley was there and half wanting to be left alone.

"It's nothing." She told her dismissively trying to smile the Brooke Davis smile.

Haley cocked her head to the side, "It's something. If it was nothing I wouldn't have heard a bunch of freshmen girls talking about 'the poor girl' crying in the bathroom. They said you were puking. Are you feeling okay?" Haley edged nearer to Brooke and attempted to hug her. Brooke held out a hand to stop her friend.

"Don't," she pleaded knowing that if she let Haley hug her, she'd burst into tears again. "I'll be fine. I just need some time."

Haley hated being helpless. "Well, what happened?"

"I was waiting at the food court and Sarah Ford—"

"Sarah Ford?" Haley cried. No wonder Brooke was upset. "What was that hussy doing here?" She could feel her anger towards the girl begin to rise.

"She's pregnant." Haley's anger turned into disbelief.

"It-" She tried to do some math in her head.

"It's not Lucas'." Brooke told her. "She's six months along and the guy abandoned her."

Haley scoffed, "Serves her right." However, Haley did feel some pang of guilt for the girl. She was aware of how difficult it was for single teenage mothers to cope in the world.

"She wanted to talk to me," Brooke explained tearfully. "Because she wanted to tell me that it was all a lie."

"What was a lie?"

"Everything." Brooke pulled out some tissue and dabbed her eyes with it to prevent another flow of mascara tear tracked. "Nothing happened between her and Lucas. She lied about it."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I don't care. It doesn't really make a difference anyway." Brooke sighed. "This whole year sucked because of what happened between Lucas and Sarah and now it didn't and I feel like it was a big, sick joke and a complete waste." Haley placed a hand on Brooke's shoulder.

"So she lied?" Haley was aware she was stating the obvious but nothing else was coming to her mind. "Are you going to tell Lucas?"

Brooke shrugged, "I don't know, Haley. I really don't." She was on the verge of breaking down again when the door opened and a woman walked in. She took a look at the two and hesitated, wondering whether or not she should leave them alone.

"Come on," Haley pulled Brooke away from her position at the mirror, "Let's go someplace else." She helped Brooke gather up her bags and the two walked out of the bathroom and out of the mall.

As Haley drove Brooke back to Peyton's house, she cast a wary glance at the girl who was staring out of the window, a tissue crumpled up in her hand. Her friend took her hands off the wheel and reassuringly placed it on Brooke's knee.

"Don't worry, Brooke. You couldn't have seen this coming. I mean, we all thought that Sarah had slept with Lucas."

"Yeah, but she didn't."

"And nobody knew that until thirty minutes ago." Haley reminded her.

"So what do I do now?" Brooke asked. "Tell Lucas that the whole reason we broke up ended up being a big, stinkin' joke? Tell him that, hey! You really didn't cheat on me so let's just forget about all the pain that we went through this last year because it all counts for nothing?" She pounded her fist against the leather interior of her car.

"Are you going to tell Lucas?" Haley questioned.

"I was thinking about it. I don't really have much choice, do I?" she shrugged and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's not really a conversation I'm looking forward to."

She glanced at Haley who seemed to be a little apprehensive.

"What? Do you think I shouldn't tell him?" Brooke frowned.

"I don't know, Brooke. It's not really my choice."

"Well it's not like I _asked_ to make this choice. I don't even want to it be a choice."

"Unless Sarah herself tells him, I'm afraid you'll have to be the messenger. And, trust me; it would be better coming from you." Haley said as she turned into the little road where Peyton and Brooke shared a house. "Back when Lucas had to tell you about what happened with Sarah, he chickened out and didn't tell you. And you know the story; it was a thousand times worse hearing it when you did and having everybody lie to you. Knowing how it feels, you shouldn't keep it from him either." Haley reasoned.

"What if it hurts him? What if it ruins things between us? All this time, I've been blaming him for what happened because that's what we all thought happened. If I tell him, he could turn around and blame me or something. Right now, we're both happy. We can stand being in the same room, and you've seen it. We're laughing and joking around like nothing happened." Haley parked the car directly outside Peyton's house, yet neither of them got out of it.

"Except for the big, fat, honking elephant named Sarah that's in the room with you!" Haley cried, amazed at how her friend couldn't see what was right in front of her, "You know that awkward feeling that comes over you when you see him? That's not going to go away until you tell him the truth. The only reason you guys broke up was because of her and now you _know_ nothing happened and she made it all up. Tell him and just get on with your life."

"That's what we've been trying to do, Haley!" Brooke yelled back at her friend, "It wasn't easy living in the same house as him, or watching him flirt with other girls. But what made it easier was knowing that I had a reason for letting him go and that I was only missing out on a guy who lied and cheated. That was the only way I got over it."

"But you didn't, Brooke. You still have feelings for him. You've _always_ had feelings for him even when you hated him and when you were just friends and with Luke. Telling Lucas that it wasn't his fault would get rid of that elephant and there'd be just the two of you." She held up her hands, "I'm not saying that the two of you should get back together, because you both still have issues to work out but the whole Sarah deal was the root cause of all that and so without her, you still have a chance."

"I forgave Lucas already. I've worked so hard to get to that point. I can't afford to mess it up now." Brooke's voice became softer and hinted at the fact that she was afraid.

Haley looked at Brooke sympathetically and rubbed her arm, "Brooke… if you can forgive him when you thought he had done the worst – shouldn't you be able to forgive him when he didn't do anything at all?"

"It's not that simple," Brooke muttered.

"No, it isn't that simple. But you know you can't hide something like this from him. It's not fair on you, it's not fair on him, and it certainly isn't fair on any of us. We love you both and taking sides or lying isn't something we want to do."

"You lied to me." Brooke retorted. "You kind of took Lucas' side during the whole debacle."

"Only because we were forced into it. We all thought he would tell you, and when he didn't, we didn't think it would be right telling you. Plus, you're the one who closed us off – and truth be told, in that situation, I would have too."

"It just seems as though my life had finally sorted itself out and then Sarah comes and drops this bombshell that just turns it upside down again." Brooke sighed, "You know, every time I looked at Lucas, even a year after we broke up, all I could see was the reason why. But at my party, when he looked at me, I saw what I used to see. And everything seemed okay for those few minutes."

"A few months back," Haley began, "Now this is going back months and months, but I overheard Lucas talking to Nathan. He was talking about how every time he looked at you, he saw was the way he hurt you and how all he wanted was to make that pain go away. He's suffered as much as you have, Brooke. Now you have the power to stop all that. Why would you want to lose that?" Haley offered her a reassuring smile and handed her a cellphone. "Call him."

Despite Haley's reassurance and honesty, Brooke was still unsure. She pushed the cellphone away and back towards Haley, who seemed surprised and disappointed at Brooke's action. Opening the car door, Brooke stepped out of the car.

"I'm sorry, Haley. I just think he's better off not knowing." She didn't wait for her friend to reply before slamming the door shut and making her way into the Sawyer house to be alone.

--------

Brooke paced around the room. It had been three hours since her confrontation with Sarah at the mall, and almost two hours since Haley had gone home after Brooke refused to tell Lucas.

Now, she was questioning her decision.

Haley had called a few times but she let the machine pick it up. Thank god Peyton was out of town with Jake this weekend.

Brooke stopped by the window in her room and stared out. It was already dusk and the bright sunshine of the afternoon had almost disappeared. She could make out the mall glowing in the distance, and a little distance away from it, the much dimmer lights of the Rivercourt. From her window, she could even see the Scott mansion. There were no lights on. Dan was still at work, as was Karen. If Brooke craned her neck to the left, there apartment complex that Nathan and Haley resided in could be seen. Brooke counted three floors up and four windows in to see if they were at home. They were.

Brooke sighed as she walked away from the window, drawing the curtains so she wasn't distracted by the goings on outside.

Finally plucking up the courage to pick up the phone, she dialed Lucas' number, making a mental note that ex-girlfriends shouldn't know their ex-boyfriend's dorm-room number by heart.

After less than three rings, it picked up.

"Hello?" Lucas's voice spoke clearly into the phone. Brooke panicked and hung up, tossing the phone idly away from her. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, cursing herself.

Thirty seconds later, the phone rang and Brooke opened her eyes. She chewed her nail as she decided whether to answer it or not before finally picking it up on the eighth ring.

"Peyton?" Lucas said when Brooke didn't reply. "Is that you? Why are you calling me?"

"It's me," Brooke revealed her identity.

"Oh, Brooke. I forgot you lived with Peyton. Is everything okay?"

"How did you know I called?" Brooke asked.

"Caller ID." Lucas chuckled, "But somehow you got disconnected or something."

"No," she sighed, "I hung up on you."

"Really? Any particular reason?" Lucas seemed more amused by this than anything.

"I just wasn't sure if I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay…" Lucas was confused. "So, do you want to talk to me now or are you just going to hang up on me again?"

"I'll talk." Brooke decided.

"Good. I've missed your voice." He told her. Brooke closed her eyes and sighed.

"Don't do that. Lucas." She pleaded.

Lucas seemed taken aback by her request, "Do what?" he asked.

"Say stuff like that to me. It's… it's not appropriate."

"So I can't tell you the truth now?" at the mention of 'truth', Brooke cringed. "Because I do miss your voice. You haven't called for a few days and I thought we were friends now."

"Friends don't say that." Brooke argued, "They ask how their day was and ask for the latest gossip."

"Fine." Lucas seemed all defensive all of a sudden, "How was your day? What's the latest gossip?" he asked dryly, "What's going on, Brooke?" he said a little more seriously. "Is that better?"

"Don't be like that…"

"Be like what? You're the one who called me and now you're the one acting all weird with me. And that usually indicates that there's something wrong, so what's wrong Brooke?" Lucas demanded to know.

There was silence on the other end.

"Okay," he seemed to give up, "If you don't want to talk, you don't want to talk. I shouldn't have called you back. I'll speak to you soon." Lucas began putting the phone down.

"Lucas! Wait!" Brooke cried, but it was too late, he'd already hung up. Groaning, Brooke dialed Lucas' number again and waited for it to pick up.

It finally did, but the voice wasn't Lucas'.

"Hello?" it was Matthew.

"Hey, um, can I talk to Lucas?" Brooke asked. Matthew seemed to hesitate.

"Sure." He passed it over to his roommate and Brooke could hear a faint argument go on between the two boys before Lucas finally took the receiver.

"Hey." Lucas said.

"I'm sorry," Brooke decided apologizing first would help, "You're right, I'm acting weird and there is something wrong."

"Well, what is it?" Lucas was more concerned now.

"I ran into Sarah today." Brooke told him. "And um… well, she said some very interesting things."

"Like?" Lucas questioned. No wonder Brooke was upset.

"Like about that night."

"Brooke…"

"You're off the hook, Lucas. She told me the truth. She told me she'd lied and you hadn't done anything with her because you were too drunk to even know what was going on."

It was Lucas' turn to be silent now.

"Lucas?" she prompted, "Are you there?"

"Yeah, um, I'm still here." She could hear the anger burning up inside him. Lucas gripped the phone hard. "So she lied?"

"Apparently."

"It didn't occur to her that she'd ruined my life and us?" he scoffed.

"She did realize it; it just took her this long to admit it." Brooke didn't know why she was feeling sympathy for the girl who'd caused so many problems.

"I can't believe it!" Lucas growled, "All this time and all this pain and she was just _lying_?" Brooke could hear Matthew make an excuse and leave the dorm room.

"Lucas, calm down."

"Calm down? Brooke, how are you not mad about this?"

"I am, Lucas. I spent a considerable amount of time in a mall restroom throwing up and bawling my eyes out. It doesn't just affect you!"

"When did she tell you?"

"This afternoon."

"And you're telling me now?"

"Well I had to have some time to process it. Plus, I was close to not telling you." Brooke confessed. "But I have and I guess now we've got to talk about it."

"Talk about what? The fact that our whole relationship was ruined because she wanted to have a little fun? Brooke, you and I have been through hell and back this last year because of what she said."

Lucas groaned and kicked his desk. "Whoa, Lucas, calm down." Brooke said. "Please don't be mad at me, and don't take your anger out of your furniture."

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at her. How could she do this?"

"I don't know."

"Well how are you dealing with it?" Lucas asked.

"Haley and a tub of Ben and Jerry's. I don't know what else to do, really. I'm as angry and messed up as you are over this."

"You know, I used to pray to whatever powers that be up there that I would wake up and none of this ever happened. I hated what I apparently did to you and I hated hurting you and not being with you. And now it seemed it was answered but months and months later. I just…" he groaned. "This is just sucky."

"I know." Brooke sighed, "It seems as if we've been working against the elements to finally be at a place where we can be on the same page and it was all for nothing."

"So what do we do now?" Lucas asked. "I mean, let us just forget Sarah. She doesn't even matter anymore. Where are_ we_?"

"You mean, are we still on the same page?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. I guess all we can do now is talk about it and see where we end up." Brooke suggested.

"Right," Lucas nodded, "So, where do we start?"

-----

Three hours, fourteen minutes and thirty eight seconds later, Brooke hung up the phone with a happy sigh.

Lying down on her bed, she was satisfied with how their conversation had gone.

There had been a few arguments, some tears and some laughter; but finally, they had agreed that they as people were both on the same page.

They understood each other and where they stood, and furthermore, they both knew what that meant for their currently platonic relationship.

All there was left to do, now that Sarah was out of the picture, was see where it would take them.

**To Be Continued…**

_There you go. Wasn't that a shocker? (Shut up Cari and Kels! – who, btw, both helped tremendously with this). I guess it's no secret that this is the penultimate chapter and that the next one will be the final part of this story. _


	45. This Is Your Life

_Here it is.The last chapter of 'Hidden Weeds Flower', and so for the final time - I hope you all enjoy it. _

**Chapter Forty-Five: This Is Your Life**

There must have been something in the air that morning in May when Brooke sat on the roof of THHS watching the sun go down. Cuddling beside her was Haley and Nathan who, just a few hours earlier, had been named 'Cutest Married Couple' in the yearbook. Haley was giggling at something Nathan was whispering in her ear and he held his arms around his wife, burying his head into the nape of her neck as he too descended into giggles.

On the other side of Brooke, sat Jake and Peyton, both leaning against each other and gently mouthing the words to the song currently playing on the radio that they'd brought up with them. Jake was gently drawing circles with his thumb on Peyton's hand and she gave him a small grin in return.

Brooke wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin in between them, letting out a small sigh as she looked out at the view.

Haley and Nathan were both staying in Tree Hill where Haley wanted to continue pursuing her music and Nathan had found a job as an assistant coach to the junior basketball team at Tree Hill Elementary. Brooke could make out parts of their conversation; Nathan was talking about children. Not theirs obviously, but the ones he would be coaching, and about how cute they were. Brooke knew that within a year or two, she'd get a phone call about a new Scott on its way – and the thought made her grin. Haley and Nathan would make great parents.

Jake, Peyton and Jenny were also staying in Tree Hill, opting to go to Tree Hill's Community College so Peyton to focus on her art, Jake could do whatever he wanted to do and Jenny would be taken care of by the two of them as a family.

As for Brooke?

Well, she wasn't as lucky as to have her whole life sorted out for her. There was nobody she'd be returning to at night, no children to look after and no parents.

She was alone.

As she sat quietly staring at the disappearing sun, she couldn't help but envy the two girls she was flanked by.

Finally having enough of the lovey-dovey crap she was surrounded by, she got up off the picnic blanket and brushed herself off before mumbling a goodbye and making her way off the roof.

Haley quickly followed her.

"Brooke, wait," she begged as she raced behind the fleeing brunette. "Are you okay?"

Brooke slowed down to a stop and turned around, plastering on a big grin.

"I'm fine."

"You left in a pretty big hurry." Haley told her. "And this whole 'sitting on the roof, watching the sunset' was your idea. You've planned it for a week."

"I know." Brooke shrugged, "But the sun went down and now it's time to leave." She turned.

"Brooke, don't do that. I hate it when you do that." Haley sighed.

"Do what?" Brooke turned back.

"That thing where you make some comment and turn around and leave again, pretending you're okay when you're not. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Haley. I just…" Brooke let out a deep breath, "It's just that being up there reminded me that I don't have anyone or anything. I wanted to be up there talking about what we used to do at school and lie about how much we're not going to miss it – and instead everyone just started talking about their futures and I don't have one!" her eyes began to fill up with tears. "You know, I am so pleased that you and Nathan and Peyton, Jake and Jenny are all happy and content and have everything sorted out for you, but I don't. This whole month has been a constant reminder of that fact. Graduation, prom, the senior poll… everything."

"Well… You got 'Most Beautiful'." Haley offered. Brooke scoffed.

"So what? Am I supposed to jump into the nearest beauty contest? Or am I supposed to just accept that that is all I'm good at."

"You know you're good at other things." Haley reassured.

"So how come I didn't get into any of the colleges I applied to?" Brooke asked.

"There's Tree Hill Community College…" Brooke laughed dryly.

"You don't get it, Haley. I don't _want _Tree Hill. I don't want to be here anymore."

"I thought you liked it." She replied quietly.

"I do. There's just nothing keeping me here."

"What about us?" Haley seemed offended now.

"Of course there are you guys, but it just doesn't seem enough for me." Brooke sniffed. "Look, just forget about me, Haley. Go back to the others and enjoy the rest of the evening. I'm just feeling sorry for myself."

"We can all leave."

"No, Haley, don't do that. Just enjoy it. Don't let me and my self-centered thoughts ruin it. I'll be okay. I'm just going to go back to Peyton's and-"

"You don't call it home," Haley interrupted and Brooke stared at her questioningly. "You never say 'home', you call it 'Peyton's'," Haley rubbed the back of her neck and added, "Just an observation."

"You forget," Brooke offered a tight smile, "I don't have a home."

Before Haley could say anymore, the brunette turned around again and left the school grounds.

------

Brooke threw her keys haphazardly on the coffee table and pulled off her jacket as she checked the mail. Most of it was for Peyton or Larry Sawyer, but Karen often brought by Brooke's mail that had been delivered to the Scott household.

This time she had three.

One credit card bill, a piece of junk mail, and one large white envelope which bore the Duke emblem.

She tore it open.

"Dear Miss Davis, congratulations you have been chosen…" Brooke read aloud as her eyes widened and the girl jumped around the living room in joy. "I got in!" she squealed as she took the rest of her mail and ran up the stairs to her room.

Rereading the letter at last another half a dozen times to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Brooke!" Peyton cried forty minutes later as she entered the house. Brooke could hear the blonde's footsteps coming up the stairs and making her way to the guest bedroom. "Brooke, Haley told me you were upset so I-" Peyton stopped when she saw the grinning girl. "Okay, well, obviously 'upset' is a good look for you. What's happened?" Peyton asked.

"I got in!" Brooke gave her a hug.

"Congratulations!" Peyton replied, "Got in where? I thought all the colleges you applied to rejected you."

"Well, apparently Duke didn't!" she said.

"You applied to Duke?" Peyton seemed surprised and a little apprehensive.

"Yeah, but they rejected me ages ago. This," she showed off the letter, "is an acceptance letter to their summer program. They liked my designs when I went for an interview-"

"You went to an interview?"

"Focus, please." Brooke dismissed Peyton's questions, "And though they rejected me at first, they want to offer me a place where I will be doing their fashion program as well as working in a boutique for experience. The top five students over the summer will be given a place on the actual degree course starting this fall." She made a 'yay' motion with her hands.

"Wow, Brooke. That sounds amazing." Peyton took the letter to read for herself. "Why didn't you tell any of us about it?"

Brooke shrugged, "I guess I was afraid of getting my hopes up. Plus, it's Duke," she glanced at Peyton, "and I was afraid you'd all think I was going there for a whole other reason…" she laughed nervously. Peyton got the hint.

"Are you?" she asked Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm not." Brooke said firmly. "But it's nearby and I like North Carolina. I'd much rather stay in state rather than go back to New York. Plus, I love you guys and I can never stay away for too long."

"Good," Peyton seemed pleased, "This is such a great opportunity for you." As her eyes scanned the rest of the letter, she gulped.

"What's wrong?" Brooke sensed the anxiety coming from her friend.

"Um… have you read the letter properly?" Peyton asked.

"Of course I have!" came the indignant reply.

"Even the part where they tell you that you need to find your own accommodation?" Her eyebrows raised.

"What? No!" she snatched the letter away and scanned it urgently, "Where is it?" she asked.

Peyton pointed to a paragraph near the end, "Since your application went in late, they don't have enough time to organize and clear a room for you. See?"

"That sucks!" Brooke groaned. "How am I supposed to find a place to stay for three months in a week?" Peyton simply shrugged.

"There is one option…"

"No."

"You haven't even heard it."

"The answer is still the same. I know what you're getting at."

"Really?"

"Yes, and it would involve someone beginning with L, ending with S and has UCA in the middle." She sighed, "I'll just get a hotel room and find something when I'm there."

"That's going to be expensive."

"I have a trust fund."

"Brooke, you can't live at a hotel. It's silly. It's lonely."

"I've always been a loner," Brooke responded. "Besides, despite how good things between Lucas and me have been lately, it makes no sense to disrupt it all by turning up at his door. And he's probably already got a place and sharing it with some friends. I don't want to live with a bunch of horny guys. Although…" she winked and Peyton shook her head.

"It's worth a shot." Peyton tried.

"No. And we're not telling him about this either. He's coming back to Tree Hill for summer and so it's pointless anyway."

"So how are we supposed to explain your absence?"

"Uh… lie?" Brooke gave her a 'duh' face.

"He'll find out and he won't be happy." Peyton crossed her arms, "This is a huge deal for you."

"Peyton, please. I think I've got this one." Brooke told her confidently. Peyton gave in.

"Fine. But since you leave in a week, I'd suggest packing because I may have dragged your crap from Karen's to this place, but there's no way in hell I'm dragging it all the way to Durham!"

------

Brooke's cellphone buzzed loudly on her nightstand making an annoying, drilling sound as the plastic and metal hit against the wood. Picking it up quickly, she barely had a chance to read the caller I.D. label.

"Hello, Brooke speaking." She greeted as she folded a tank top and put it to one side.

"Hey, Brooke. It's me," Lucas' voice spoke clearly into the phone. Since their night of confessions the day Sarah Ford revealed the truth, phone calls between the two had become more frequent and they both looked forward to them.

"Hey, Lucas. How are you?" she asked. "Are you done for the summer?"

"Yeah, classes ended today."

"Cool. When are you coming back?" she wondered.

"Uh, actually I'm not." Lucas bit his lip as Brooke frowned on the other end of the line. Forgetting all about her packing she turned her focus to Lucas.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I've decided I'm spending most of the summer here… in Durham."

No, no, no! She thought to herself. He couldn't do that!

"Oh…" a pause, "Did you get a job or something? What about your mom?"

"Well obviously I'll pop down for a few days or something in between, but I think I'm going to spend most of it here."

"It must be a nice place," Brooke commented.

"That," he agreed, "And I heard you'd be here."

Brooke froze.

"How did you hear that?" she asked, trying her best to remain calm.

"Nathan told me."

Nathan was going to get it.

"Really?"

"What I don't get is why you didn't tell me. You found out five days ago and you never bothered to pick up the phone and call the _one_ person you know in Durham?"

Boy, he sounded mad.

"I was going to do it." She argued.

"When? Your summer thing starts in two days and I'm sure you're busy packing. Plus, you have all those goodbyes to say."

"I wasn't sure if you were coming back. And if you were, I'd prefer to tell you in person."

"Well I know now and I'm not coming back. Not if you're coming here." Lucas sighed.

"Lucas, my being there doesn't mean you can't be here in Tree Hill. I didn't want to obligate you into doing whatever just because I may be spending the summer in the same town you've been in for the last year."

"Nathan also told me you need a place to stay."

Okay, now Nathan was _really_ going to get it.

"Lucas, it's sorted. I'm checking into a hotel."

"Don't be an idiot, Brooke." Lucas huffed, "You're staying with me."

"But term is over. You don't have a dorm room anymore."

"I know, but when I heard you were coming down, I signed a lease for a two bedroom apartment."

"You did _what_?"

"You heard me. My mom paid the deposit because she thought it was a good idea."

"Um, thanks for telling me!" Brooke sighed in exasperation. "Listen, Lucas, thanks but no thanks. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think living together is the best for either of us right now. Besides, wouldn't you rather live with Matthew or another friend? I'll just be in your way."

"Brooke, I lived with you for, like, a year. I'm pretty much used to your bathroom habits. Plus, Matthew has other arrangements. It's a really nice apartment."

"No, Lucas."

"You'll love the view."

"Lucas-"

"I'll let you pick out the furniture!"

"No."

"I'll put locks on every single door! I'll get cable so you get all your fashion channels! Come on, Brooke! You know it makes sense."

"Lucas, after everything we've been through in the last year and a half, do you really want to go back to the way it was at the beginning?"

"It won't be like that and you know it. We can stand each other and we have no parents."

"Which is exactly my point!"

"Oh!" it clicked to Lucas. "You think that if we live together eventually…"

"And you wonder why I didn't tell you."

"To be honest, I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind. But, Brooke, we're _friends_ who would be sharing a house. There's no ulterior motive in this. I just want to make you comfortable. This is a new town, a new atmosphere. I just want to make sure you're okay and that you have someone who knows the place. I don't want you to be alone."

This made Brooke contemplate it but she refused to let herself accept his offer.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. My answer is still 'no'." She hung up the phone before he could answer.

--------

Trees. Trees of green. Red roses too. She saw them bloom. Brooke smiled as she walked through a luscious, vibrant and green garden scattered with flowers of all sorts of colors.

She looked at the bluebird perched neatly on her shoulder, whistling a familiar tune. Brooke closed her eyes to listen to the melody, the words suddenly forming and becoming clearer.

_And I think to myself… what a wonderful world._

Brooke jerked awake as she heard the lyrics being sung wildly off key. Her neck hurt like hell and she rubbed her eyes to try and make sense of her surroundings.

There were no trees or flowers. And the bluebird was Lucas.

Lucas?

Brooke looked at the young man besides her singing along to the song playing on the radio. He noticed she was awake.

"Morning sunshine," he greeted with a smile. "Coffee?" he handed her a flask that was half-filled with the caffeinated substance. The smell filled her nose and she pushed it away to keep herself from gagging.

Only then was it when she noticed that she was in his car and on the road.

And that she was wearing her unicorn pajamas.

"Please tell me this is some sort of a nightmare," she begged as she tried pinching herself.

"Only the good kind," Lucas replied before smirking. "Nice hair."

Brooke immediately checked her reflection in the passenger mirror and cringed at the sight of her extremely bad case of bed hair.

"What the hell-" she began before she covered her mouth with a hand, realizing she also had a case of morning breath.

"Relax, you look fine." Lucas reassured, handing her a stick of gum which she quickly stuffed into her mouth.

That solved one problem.

"What the hell is happening?" she asked, chewing furiously on the gum.

"What's happening is that Mohammed is coming to the mountain." Lucas declared with a satisfied grin. "I'm taking you to see the apartment so you can decide whether or not you want to move in."

Brooke groaned, "Lucas, we've gone through this. I'm not going to move in with you."

"You say that now, but I know you and your stubborn ass. You'll love this place. Trust me. You just need to _see _it."

"And that justifies kidnapping?" she challenged.

"It was Nathan's idea." Lucas explained.

"Oh, I'm not really liking Nathan right about now." Brooke muttered. "And so what? He told you to break in during the night, kidnap me and drive me back to your new apartment?"

"I didn't break in," he clarified, "Peyton let me in."

"Peyton knew!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Everyone did."

"Have I mentioned just how much I hate all of you?" she stared out of the window. "Just take me home."

"Brooke, we're half an hour away; it's pointless to turn back now." Lucas argued. Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she relented, "But I'm pouting the whole way there, and if I don't like it you _have_ to take me home. No more convincing me to stay." She demanded. He nodded his head.

Brooke's eyes wondered to the back of the car, which was filled with boxes and suitcases. She frowned and eyed Lucas suspiciously as she reached to open the nearest box to see what was inside.

She gasped, "Lucas Scott!" she cried, "Why are there boxes full of my stuff in your car?"

"Well you'll need them if you're moving…"

Brooke punched Lucas hard in the arm and he protested. "You took my stuff too?"

"I figured that since you're moving down here anyway, I'll bring them up just in case you decide to stay. It'll save you time."

"What if I don't want to stay? What about saying goodbye to everyone in Tree Hill?" she gasped again – this time more dramatically, "What about my _car_!"

"I kind of already invited Nathan, Jake, Haley and Peyton up for dinner with us next weekend so they'll bring it over with them." He replied. "See? I have it all planned out." Lucas gave her a confident smile. "All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride."

Brooke sat back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting like a petulant child. Lucas glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong is my friends are suddenly all ganging up on me. Can't I make my own decisions anymore? It seems like lately everyone else is making plans for me."

Lucas bit his lip, "You mean, like what happened at prom?" he questioned.

She nodded and purposely looked away.

"Yeah."

He shook his head slightly, "About that. It was Nathan's idea and that was only because Haley was complaining about how sad it was that you didn't want to go."

Brooke turned to face him, "So that's why you drove all the way to Tree Hill the day of the prom? Because of Haley and Nathan?" her eyebrows raised skeptically.

"Kind of. I mean, it was getting to Haley that you didn't have a date and you were really uninterested in going."

"I wasn't uninterested. And it wasn't because I didn't have a date." Brooke defended.

"Why didn't you want to go then?" She sighed.

"Because it was the end." She replied simply. "And I didn't want high school to end because then I'd have to figure out what I wanted to do and I just don't know."

"What about this fashion program?"

"I like clothes. That's about the only thing I really know and I just saw it and it looked okay. I didn't think I'd actually get in, hence the late application. I just stared at it for a few weeks until I finally got enough courage to post the damn thing. And then when I didn't hear from them, I figured I didn't get it…"

"Well," Lucas patted her knee, "You're in now, and you're on your way to building a future for yourself. You should be proud."

"What about when the summer's over? Everyone else will be going to college and I'll just be back where I stared."

Lucas chuckled, "Oh, come on, Brooke! You know you're going to be in the top five of the class."

She crossed her arms again, "And how do you know that, Einstein?"

He looked across at her and gave her an encouraging smile, "I just _know_." She shook her head to hide the smirk forming on her lips.

"Thanks for taking me to the prom." She told him. "It really was a great nice – even if it was the end of an era."

Lucas shrugged, "Don't worry about it. Besides, as one door closes; another one opens, right?"

-------

A little under an hour later, the two pulled up to a small block of apartments. Lucas brought his car to a stop by the curb and turned off the engine.

"Here it is," he told her as the two of them looked up, "This is Henderson Heights and it – potentially – could be your new home." He pointed up at the third floor up. "It's that one."

"Lucas…" she began. "I still don't think this is a good idea." Brooke repeated for what felt the thousandth time. Little did Lucas know that, during the course of their drive down, Brooke had slowly been coming around to the idea of living with him again.

Of course, she'd never admit it.

She still was unsure of what _might_ happen and what Haley, Peyton and everyone would think of the two exes shacking up together.

But, admittedly, it did look nice from the outside. She thought, and hoped, that maybe it was a craphole on the inside.

"All that's left is for you to check it out." Lucas interrupted her thoughts.

"Lucas… I'm not going out dressed like this."

"Nobody will see you."

"You say that now, but I can almost guarantee that the moment I step out in this _delightful_ little number, a coach full of high school students or something will drive past. It's inevitable. And so I'm not getting out."

"So what do I do know? Go up and take polariods of the house and bring them back to you?"

"That's not a bad idea-"

"Brooke!" Lucas wanted to scream. Her stubbornness was really starting to get to him. "Are you going to get out of this car or am I going to have to carry you up there?"

Brooke refused to get out of the car, or answer the question, and the two sat in silence.

Lucas sighed and climbed out of the car, making sure he took his keys with him. Brooke watched curiously at what he was doing. He moved around the car and stopped outside the passenger, opening the door forcefully and letting in a huge gust of wind.

"Lucas, it's freezing!" she complained. But he didn't heed her protests as he undid her seatbelt and pulled her out of the car. The tall, athletic teenager was much stronger than the girl, but she put up one hell of a fight. Eventually able to dragged most of her body out of the vehicle, Lucas gathered her up in his arms and took her kicking and screaming into the apartment complex.

"Lucas, you put me down _right now_ or I will scream this place down and I mean it!" Brooke warned. Lucas merely rolled his eyes and threw her over his shoulder so he could press the elevator button.

He was still carrying her in the elevator as they went up two floors to the top of the complex. A man sharing the same elevator gave the two a questioning look, which Lucas responded to with an apologetic tip of the head.

Finally, the two reached their destination and Lucas stopped in front of a door marked '3a'. He let her down off his shoulder and she growled at him, checking her reflection in the mirror in the hallway and cursing him.

The door was unlocked and Lucas pushed it open slightly, calling Brooke over. She hesitated at first but Lucas grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her closer. Before Brooke could even peek inside the house, Lucas' hands covered her eyes.

"Lucas…" she began.

"Just go along with it. I want to show you something first, before you see the rest of the house." He explained as he guided her into the apartment and they walked across the floor.

Brooke heard another door open and they walked into that room; and though she couldn't see what it looked like yet, the smell was familiar.

"And open!" Lucas removed his hands so Brooke could see. She gasped. "This is your room." He announced.

Brooke's mouth fell open. He had completely pimped out her room. There was a nice big bed, pictures on her dresser of all the gang, and a few bare mannequin dummies in an area big enough for her to also draw her designs. He'd also put a pile of fashion magazines on her desk and there were already a few books and DVDs filling up a small space on the shelves.

In all, it had the beginnings of a place that was just made for Brooke.

"The rest of the house apartment isn't furnished yet; I figured that we could decorate it together… if you want. I just wanted you to know that there's a place here and it would be great if you'd agree…" Lucas' voice drifted off as he began explaining to her about how when he saw the apartment, he thought of her and had decorated her room first. "Your room is the only place that actually has furniture in it at the moment but I have a bed being delivered tomorrow and maybe we could go shopping for a couch, a TV… we only have enough food for two days in the fridge so we'll need to do food shopping."

Lucas stopped talking when he saw that Brooke was still staring dumbfounded at the room he had shown her. A small smile formed on his lips as he strode towards her and rested his head lightly on her shoulder. He held her shoulders from behind, noticing she was almost rigid with shock.

In a whisper, he told her, "Welcome home."

She didn't reply. It seemed that those were the magic words she needed to hear and had been waiting for.

Brooke - though unwashed and so _not_ a morning person - stood in front of the room in her unicorn pajamas and very bad case of bed hair.

With a turn of her head, she looked Lucas in the eye and broke out into a big, dimpled grin.

He was right - she was home.

**The End. **

_Wow. So that's really and truly the end. I hope everyone enjoyed it and were satisfied with the ending. _

_I know what you're thinking; did they get back together? Are they still just friends? Did Brooke get into the top five? Did Brooke ever change out of those unicorn pajamas!_

_I think instead of writing a sequel, I'll let you all come to your own conclusions. That and I'm far too lazy (and quite frankly sick of this fic) to write a sequel. Plus, I think that the Hidden Weeds Flower versions of Brooke and Lucas have been through a hell of a lot this past year._

_It's been a great journey though. I never thought that this fic would get the response that it did and it's fantastic. I know nobody ever reads the author's notes, but this is where I tell you all that I love each and every one of you who bothered to click that 'review' button, and the 166 of you who have added this on your favorites. _

_Special thanks go to **Cari** just because she's frickin' awesome and she put up with me bugging her about what should happen for the last few months. Same goes for **Kels** who, I know, pissed off a couple of chapters back. And **Aleah** too, for not spoiling the ending because of my own stupidity of accidentally telling her the ending (I made an honest mistake, I swear I thought you were Cari!). _

_Anyway, since nobody does read these notes, I'll stop now before you think I'm all crazy. I hope you all check out **Strings** and **Fairytales** since those will soon be coming to an end, and after those are finished, I have two new OTH fics (yes, they are BL) coming out very soon. So please stay tuned. _

_Thank you all again. _

_Tejal xxx_


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